| 49 MEAT & WOOL » Ian Anderson Mulling over climate change in the high country North Otago sheep and beef farmer Ian Anderson. Kim Newth With a 3618-hectare high country station to run every day, North Otago sheep and beef farmer Ian Anderson doesn’t have a lot of spare time on his hands to be thinking about big issues like climate change. Yet in his role as a Federated Farmers representative, the issue keeps coming up and it’s clear the pathway ahead is becoming increasingly complicated. “Our meat and wool executive had a Zoom meeting recently involving a couple of guys from Gisborne who were talking about the masses of wire and trees from riparian planting that had come down the riverbeds in the floods there,” he observes. It is a telling example of how good intentions - riparian fencing requirements to protect water quality – may not end as expected and that doing what’s best for the environment is not necessarily as clear cut as it might seem. Ian says Federated Farmers is nevertheless continuing to do its best to represent the farmer’s voice on various compliance matters and engaged with the Government in initial consultation on He Waka Eke Noa - the primary sector climate action partnership introducing the farmgate emissions pricing system – before ultimately rejecting the final decision. “Federated Farmers believes it’s important to sit around the table with government ministers and MPI. We don’t win every battle but we win as much as we can. [But] we are a voluntary organisation that relies on voluntary subscriptions. Federated Farmers is currently submitting on another 35 or more policies so we have more to do than ever before.” High country farming is in Ian’s blood. His father, originally from Ben Omar Station, bought Ben Ledi Station - at Danseys Pass inland from Oamaru - initially running it from Omarama. “My mother grew up on the property next door [to Ben Ledi] and eventually when her father died that home farm got added to Ben Ledi too and my parents both lived here after that. My father died when I was four and the station was managed after that until I took it over as a 23-year-old. That’s a wee while ago now!” Partners: Doug Harvie, Craig Wyatt, Brett Challis, Robyn Friedrich and Tom Saul. Software solutions, including Focus, Xero and Figured Harvie GreenWyatt is here to help you maintain and grow your agri business. Our rural business accounting, business and planning disciplines. Parkside Quarries — Supplying lime to local farmers for 75 years LIMECONTACT US FOR: • Fine Lime • Dried & Undried agricultural lime • Track Lime • Customised Fertiliser blends • Rut Busta - rock for pivot tracks Getting your hands on Parkside Lime is super easy. To order or enquire call the Parkside team on 03 433 1134 or email sales@oamarustone.co.nz PROUDLY SUPPORTING IAN ANDERSON Following tenure review, some 7000 acres reverted to DOC estate with the remainder retained as a freehold block. With the homestead sitting at almost 700m above sea level, the station has a short growing season. This country is home to 5700 Romney/ Merino ewes, 1500 hoggets and some 270 heifers and cows. Half the station’s quality wool clip is supplied to Smartwool – “ending up as socks in the US leisurewear market!” Smartwool is proud to create Merino wool clothes, socks and accessories that help people make the most of their outdoor adventures and only uses wool that is ethically sourced from growers who care for the environment. Ian’s daughter has inherited her father’s pride for wool and today works for the New Zealand Merino Company. While dry conditions have been creeping up the east coast, Ian says he’s fortunate to have had an incredible growing season. “Even though the ground is starting to get quite dry, I’m feeling very fortunate – I can’t complain.”
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