Federated Farmers Explained

Federated Farmers
Predecessor:New Zealand Farmers Union
Type:Non-governmental organisation
Headquarters:Wellington
Owners:-->
Leader Title:National President
Leader Name:Wayne Langford
Key People:Terry Copeland, Chief Executive

Federated Farmers of New Zealand is a lobby and advocacy group for all farmers: arable including fruit and vegetables, dairy and meat and their often remote communities. It has a network of 24 regional organisations and six industry groups. Federated Farmers lobbies on farming issues both nationally and within each region. Membership of the organisation is voluntary, and at 2021 it has over 13,000 members.

History

Federated Farmers was originally incorporated in 1902 as the New Zealand Farmers Union. In 1944, a joint initiative by the New Zealand Farmers Union and the New Zealand Sheepowners' Federation led to the formation of Federated Farmers, and a new incorporated society, Federated Farmers of New Zealand Inc was registered on 30 November 1944.[1] [2] There were 43,000 members of Federated Farmers in 1971.[3]

Structure and membership

The organisation is a federation of 24 independent regional bodies (provinces)[4] that are separate incorporated societies.[5]

As of 2021, there were 13,000 members of Federated Farmers.[6]

The parent body has 11 offices around the country, and employs 60 staff.[7] In addition to the regional member organisations, Federated Farmers has six industry groups: Arable, Dairy, Goats, High country, Meat & wool and Rural butchers.[8]

The organisation has recently introduced a discounted membership category for owners of lifestyle farm blocks.[9]

Publications

Federated Farmers has several publications including a weekly newsletter called Friday Flash, which has 11,000 subscribers as of 2021.[10] Other publications include the National Farming Review and Tussock Talk.[11] [12]

During the 2020 New Zealand general election, Federated Farmer released a manifesto.[13]

Advocacy work

Animal identification and tracing

In 2009, Federated Farmers opposed the Government's new National Animal Identification and Tracing (NAIT) scheme, claiming that it would impose extra costs on farmers which outweighed the benefits.[14] Farmers also feared that the NAIT scheme would be used to impose a greenhouse gas emissions tax under an emissions trading scheme. A Federated Farmers survey found that 2% supported NAIT and 80% opposed it.[15]

In November 2019, Federated Farmers meat and wool chairman Miles Anderson welcomed amendments to the national animal identification and tracing legislation and thanked the Primary Production Select Committee for listening to representations from Federated Farmers and other parties.[16] In mid - May 2021, the group welcomed the 2021 New Zealand budget's allocation of $22 million in funding to the NAIT scheme, streamlining farm planning, and agricultural emissions research.[17]

Climate change

By 2003, research into greenhouse gas emissions in New Zealand had indicated that approximately half of total emissions were attributable to agriculture - mostly methane and nitrous oxide.[18] However, in 2003 Federated Farmers became involved in a lobbying campaign to oppose the Government's proposal to introduce an Agricultural emissions research levy. The levy was proposed to collect revenue from livestock farmers to fund research into agricultural emissions of greenhouse gases such as methane. Federated Farmers strongly opposed the plan and mocked the idea, calling it a "fart tax".[19] The proposed levy was not implemented, but the following year, a memorandum of understanding was agreed between the Crown and a consortium of agriculture-based companies to pay for an unspecified portion of the costs of the Pastoral Greenhouse Gas Research Consortium.[20]

In 2014, it was reported that Federated Farmers had been forced to state that they had no position on whether climate change is even real, to appease members who denied that climate change was occurring.[21]

In January 2020, Federated Farmers launched a petition calling for the withdrawal and amendment of a new Ministry of Education teaching resource on climate change.[22] The farming group's climate change spokesperson Andrew Hoggard called for balance in the climate change teaching material, taking issue with idea that eating red meat was damaging to the environment. Federated Farmers also called for more input from farmers in the teaching resource.[23]

Electric vehicles

In June 2021, Federated Farmers' national president Andrew Hoggard called for the Government's electric car rebate scheme to include a waiver for farmers and tradespersons due to the lack of electric vehicle alternatives for the utes commonly used by these occupations.[24]

Leadership

Presidents include:

The initial term was 4 years from 1 July to 30 June later reduced to 3 years. There have been mid-term resignations.

In 2021 the chief executive is Terry Copeland.[34]

Women's division

Formed in 1926 as part of the New Zealand Farmers' Union "to associate farmers' wives and other country women", its name changed to Women's Division of Federated Farmers in 1946 and in 1999 to Rural Women New Zealand.[35]

"In the year to August 2018, for example, parliamentary submissions covered rural environment, health, business, technology, education and social issues, as well as some areas, such as taxation reform, which had once been left to Federated Farmers."[36]

Chairs include:

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Farmer and grower organisations. live. 22 July 2021. . Ministry for Culture and Heritage. https://web.archive.org/web/20210723163824/https://teara.govt.nz/en/farmer-and-grower-organisations/page-2. 23 July 2021.
  2. Web site: Federated Farmers of New Zealand Inc. 2021-07-22. New Zealand Business Number. New Zealand Government. en-nz.
  3. 1971-05-01. Federated Farmers of New Zealand. Political Science. en. 23. 1. 58–66. 10.1177/003231877102300104. 0032-3187.
  4. News: Ross. Mark. Federated Farmers: The farmers' advocate. 2021-07-22. The New Zealand Herald. en-NZ. https://web.archive.org/web/20210723225926/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/federated-farmers-the-farmers-advocate/RKNBYHS6O44YN2WHV3HI4SM3ZU/. 23 July 2021. live.
  5. Web site: NZ Business Number. 2021-07-22. New Zealand Business Number. New Zealand Government. en-nz.
  6. News: Cranston. Steve. 2021-05-27. Is farmer advocacy working?. 2021-07-22. NZ Farm Life Media . en-NZ. https://web.archive.org/web/20210723020118/https://nzfarmlife.co.nz/is-farmer-advocacy-working/. 23 July 2021. live.
  7. News: Copeland. Terry. Federated Farmers: Resources at capacity. 2021-07-22. The New Zealand Herald. en-NZ. https://web.archive.org/web/20210723224257/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/the-country/news/federated-farmers-resources-at-capacity/PCD5LAA2QFQ2YUBMMBS2D5XMI4/. 2021-07-23. live.
  8. News: Deavoll. Pat. New Federated Farmers board mixes experience with new blood. 2021-07-22. Wānaka Sun. https://web.archive.org/web/20210722213123/https://www.thewanakasun.co.nz/news/13389-new-federated-farmers-board-mixes-experience-new-blood.html. 22 July 2021. live.
  9. News: Lifestyle block owner new Fed Farmers Wairarapa president. 2021-07-22. The New Zealand Herald. en-NZ. https://web.archive.org/web/20210722213837/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/the-country/news/lifestyle-block-owner-new-fed-farmers-wairarapa-president/KM4UQPA5TSZ7KMZ3LLNUMOOBHQ/. 22 July 2021. live.
  10. Web site: Friday Flash News . Federated Farmers . 28 July 2021 .
  11. Web site: National Farming Review - December 2017 . . Federated Farmers . 28 July 2021 . 29 November 2017 .
  12. Web site: Tussock Talk . Wiredmail.co.nz . 28 July 2021 . 1 August 2016 .
  13. Web site: Federated Farmers . FFNZ General Election Platform 2020 . Flipsnack . 27 July 2021 . 2020 .
  14. Web site: Feds say no to NAIT. Federated Farmers. 2008-05-22. Federated Farmers. 2009-01-03. https://web.archive.org/web/20081016024045/http://www.fedfarm.org.nz/n515.html. 16 October 2008. dead.
  15. News: Farmers fear fishhooks in tagging plan. Steeman. Marta. 2009-01-02. The Press.
  16. News: Scott . Annete . Farmers happy with NAIT changes . 19 August 2021 . Farmers Weekly . 11 November 2019.
  17. News: Budget 2021: Federated Farmers welcome funding, Dairy NZ says it missed the mark . 19 August 2021 . . 21 May 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210616080844/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/country/443048/budget-2021-federated-farmers-welcome-funding-dairy-nz-says-it-missed-the-mark . 16 June 2021. live.
  18. Book: Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry

    . Agricultural Emissions Research Funding. June 2003. 0-478-07757-2. dead. Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. https://web.archive.org/web/20071013024747/http://www.maf.govt.nz/mafnet/rural-nz/sustainable-resource-use/climate/agricultural-emissions-research-funding. 13 October 2007.

  19. Web site: Methane tax petition. 1 August 2021. .
  20. Web site: Memorandum of Understanding. Pastoral Greenhouse Gas Research Consortium. 1 August 2021. articles 1.3, 1.8, and 3.8, and 5.3 refer to the funding and non-taxation "as long as this MOU is in effect" agreement..
  21. News: 4 June 2014. Farmers group takes no climate stance. 1 August 2021. RNZ. en-nz.
  22. News: Skerett . Angie . Federated Farmers launch petition against climate change teaching resource . 28 July 2021 . . 20 January 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210120013723/https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/rural/2020/01/federated-farmers-launch-petition-against-climate-change-teaching-resource.html . 20 January 2021. live.
  23. News: Skerett . Angie . Farming group labels new climate change teaching resource 'simplistic, counterproductive' . 28 July 2021 . . 14 January 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210127045844/https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/rural/2020/01/farming-group-labels-new-climate-change-teaching-resource-simplistic-counterproductive.html . 27 January 2021. live.
  24. News: Cardwell . Hamish . EV rebate scheme falls short on driving switch to electric - MTA . 14 June 2021 . . 14 June 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210614224819/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/444665/ev-rebate-scheme-falls-short-on-driving-switch-to-electric-mta . 14 June 2021. live.
  25. News: 'Peasant' Charlie Pedersen wears pin stripes and polished shoes. 2021-07-22. The New Zealand Herald. en-NZ. https://web.archive.org/web/20210723133824/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/peasant-charlie-pedersen-wears-pin-stripes-and-polished-shoes/BLE2B7C3GMNRIXIWT3ERW2M5SA/. 2021-07-23. live.
  26. News: Rae. Sally. 2011-05-16. Federated Farmers' president ready to go. 2021-07-22. Otago Daily Times. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20210723172431/https://www.odt.co.nz/business/farming/federated-farmers-president-ready-go. 23 July 2021. live.
  27. Web site: Bruce Wills. 2021-07-22. Motu. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20210722053701/https://www.motu.nz/about-us/people/bruce-wills/. 2021-07-22. live.
  28. News: Former Fed Farmers president William Rolleston made CNZM. 2021-07-22. The New Zealand Herald. en-NZ. https://web.archive.org/web/20210723173532/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/former-fed-farmers-president-william-rolleston-made-cnzm/WIGGY4HHDCF7JZUR7QUGHKHFSM/. 2021-07-23. live.
  29. Web site: Ravensdown. Katie Milne wins Agricultural Communicator of the Year . 2021-07-22. Scoop. https://web.archive.org/web/20210722072018/https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU2010/S00271/katie-milne-wins-agricultural-communicator-of-the-year.htm. 2021-07-22. live.
  30. News: Radio New Zealand. First female Federated Farmers president steps down. 2021-07-22. The New Zealand Herald. en-NZ. https://web.archive.org/web/20210722215448/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/the-country/news/first-female-federated-farmers-president-steps-down/NENEWGVG5N5TN6JBXYH4MVJ2HM/. 2021-07-22. live.
  31. News: Kilmister. Sam. 2020-12-18. Manawatū dairy farmer Andrew Hoggard elected to International Dairy Federation board. 2021-07-22. Stuff. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20210722040726/https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/123724767/manawat-dairy-farmer-andrew-hoggard-elected-to-international-dairy-federation-board. 2021-07-22. live.
  32. Web site: Andrew Hoggard steps down early as Federated Farmers president . 8 May 2023 . Stuff . Anna . Whyte.
  33. News: Federated Farmers elects Wayne Langford as national president. 6 July 2023. RNZ. 17 July 2023.
  34. News: Otago Daily Times. Federated Farmers: Good to be 'out there listening'. 10 September 2018. The New Zealand Herald. 22 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210724025302/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/the-country/news/federated-farmers-good-to-be-out-there-listening/NXM53MLV7E6PYTXS4N7ZS47TG4/. 2021-07-24. live.
  35. Book: Else, Anne. Women together : a history of women's organisations in New Zealand : nga ropu wahine o te motu. 1993. Historical Branch, Dept. of Internal Affairs. 0-908896-29-8. Wellington, N.Z.. 30109456.
  36. Web site: Smith. Rosemarie. 2018. Rural Women New Zealand NZHistory, New Zealand history online. 2021-07-31. ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz.

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