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This story was originally published on RNZ.co.nz and republished with permission.
Five days before the 2017 election, 500 people participated in a protest in the Waikato town of Morrinsville, complaining about how farmers were treated. So have feelings changed?
CHRISTEL YARDLEY / Things
Te Poi farmer Bob Appleton tries to shut down an uninvited speaker (since September 18, 2017).
The 2017 protest was advertised as non-political, but the number of National and New Zealand First posters, and the lack of red and green, made it an empty claim.
Morrinsville was selected for being the hometown of then-new Labor leader Jacinda Ardern.
CHRISTEL YARDLEY / THINGS
Some 500 people attended what was supposed to be a peaceful demonstration in Morrinsville when the political parties heated up (since September 2017).
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On that day, Lloyd Downing, one of the organizers, did not discuss who the target was, saying that the politics of a Labor-Green alliance was going to be “extremely difficult” on agriculture.
Three years after the Morrinsville protest, farmers reveal whether opinions have changed.
Three years later, how do you feel now and have you softened at all?
Instead of saying to us, ‘You guys, dairy farmers, you are producing foreign funds worth $ 19 billion’, slapping us and saying ‘good job’, all they want to do is think of a way to tax us.
“They are a government of envy, and I said it three years ago. They just don’t know what they are doing, and I have been proven right.”
Downing said farmers are reaping environmental benefits all the time, and have been for several years.
“We are getting there, we are not perfect.”
Peter Le Heron, a dairy farmer in Te Puninga, north of Morrinsville, doesn’t think much has changed when it comes to the major parties’ policies toward agriculture.
Their main concern is the number of regulatory requirements placed on them.
” Regulate and fix this and fix that, but at the same time, farmers in general … 90 percent of them are generally doing very well fixing their farms to be greener.
“Farmers are organic anyway, but they do it unconsciously because they know it is to improve their own farms and the environment.”
RNZ / Andrew McRae
The rancher Peter Le Heron.
Le Heron believes that political parties continue to neglect farmers.
“It was fun back in the 90’s when I was kind of a beginning farmer, and Labor came out and said that we were a dying industry, that it was a dairy farm.
“Well, dairy production accounts for roughly 30 percent of our GDP. You could say it’s even more now because tourism is at odds due to Covid. Agriculture is our New Zealand future.”
” What we have to do is educate the citizens of Joe Bloggs that farming is a career, from being a scientist to being a farm worker.
“I think we have to move forward and let people who want to work in the country go into agriculture, horticulture and forestry.”
Benedict Collins / RNZ
About 500 people attended the Morrinsville protest.
Le Heron said that most parties are missing the point when it comes to the environment.
“Forcing green actions in a country is not good in the long term for agriculture. What if you go abroad and see some of the things they do there? We really are very, very good at what we do.”
In terms of the agricultural policies of the political parties, Le Heron doesn’t think they are any wiser.
“We do our own things as farmers, but politicians are not facilitating it. One of the best things they can do is get rid of the [Resource Management] Act. It’s draconian in terms of how it slows down all of New Zealand, not just agriculture. ”
RNZ / Andrew McRae
Evan Williams.
Evan Williams has cultivated on Morrinsville-Tahuna Road for over 30 years. He attended the 2017 protest.
“In the end I wished I hadn’t, because I thought it wasn’t necessarily the best thing for farmers. The idea behind it was great, but yeah, it only takes a few largemouths to screw it up.”
While he was against the idea of a Labor-led coalition winning three years ago, his views this time around have changed slightly.
“In my opinion, they haven’t done a bad job. Except we really need New Zealand First, dare I say it, for the Greens and Labor to be honest, and I think they have done a good job of that.
“But I think we are scared by what is happening if it is a Labor-green government, and hopefully they will take care of the farmers because they don’t seem to be particularly well.”
“If they bring in more policies that include more compliance costs and regulations, because the way things are, it seems like we’re constantly getting more and more compliance costs that make life harder for us, and yes, it’s too much for a lot of people.” Williams said.
He said farmers are generally a bit happier than they were in 2017, especially dairy farmers like him.
“We are happy and optimistic enough for the future, and as long as they don’t do anything silly, we will be happy.”
RNZ / Andrew McRae
Melissa Slattery, Morrinsville dairy farmer and accountant.
Melissa Slattery has been earning milk on a property near Morrinsville for four seasons and also works as an accountant at Te Aroha.
His message to those who become government is not to ignore the industry, but to partner with it and find solutions together.
“I think we just have to focus on getting positive results. So whoever is in government is in government at the time, so that’s not to deter us from achieving those results, we just get down to business and work with whoever is chosen “.
Slattery said farmers still feel insecure because they don’t know what might come from whoever comes to power.
She cites climate change and freshwater policies as concerns.
Lloyd Downing doesn’t rule out future farmer protests, but he does rule out, saying that at 72, now it’s up to the youngest.
Hannah Peters / Getty Images
Green Party co-leader James Shaw and Auckland Central Green Party candidate Chlöe Swarbrick pose for a photo with For the Love of Bees Community Garden staff members during a city garden visit. The Green Party has announced a policy to guarantee $ 10 million in funding to help community gardens grow in New Zealand.
Greens promote financial support for farmers
Greens co-leader James Shaw said Morning report it was reasonable that farmers wanted financial support for the transition to more sustainable methods]which is what the party was proposing.
“The package that we are adopting in this election is based on the idea of a support package of $ 300 million; I would add it to the $ 700 million that we have invested in the last 12 months for freshwater reforms, and that is over. . billion dollars of support to farmers to help make those changes and the vast majority of them that is what they want to do. “
He said the proposed nitrogen limit would not affect the vast majority of farmers, and any income it collects would go directly to supporting farmers.
“The nitrogen rate that we are proposing is set at a very low rate simply to send a price signal for people to be a little more efficient at using nitrogen fertilizers.”
This story was originally published on RNZ.co.nz and republished with permission.
