| 31 RURAL PEOPLE » Michael Butterick Federated Farmers Wairarapa meat and wool sector chairman Mike Butterick says the alienation of agriculture comes at a time of signi cant need and challenges in global food production. The Wairarapa sheep and beef farmer is advocating for long-term solutions, rather than rushed policies. Tidal wave of change ‘just too much’ Russell Fredric A lack of Government consultation and ill-considered policy in the midst of a tidal wave of change is making it hard for farmers to do what they do best, Mike Butterick says. The Wairarapa sheep and beef farmer is concerned about the pressure farmers have been placed under to keep up with a relentless wave of proposed policy, ballooning bureaucracy and legislative changes in recent years, he says. He likens the situation to being served 10 tennis balls at once. The Wairarapa candidate for National at the last election, Mike is Federated Farmers Wairarapa meat and wool sector chairman. Although he readily accepts the need to be constantly seeking improvement, for him, the current face of change is not pretty. “The de ning characteristics of being a farmer and farming, those factors that motivate you to do the job and provide the job satisfaction, I reckon they are being progressively regulated out of us. “I just nd this wave of legislation coming our way is causing legislative fatigue. It’s just too much.” “We need tools that empower us to be able to do what we need to do. We don’t need somebody in Wellington to tell us how they think we should be farming.” He highlights that a large percentage of New Zealand’s annual exports, comprising $77.2 billion for the year ended December 2021, come from primary producers. Because this income underpins essential social services such as health and education, the likes of climate and emissions policy should not have the effect of choking the primary sector, he says. “Quite simply you can’t be green if you’re in the red. It’s economics 101 that you’ve got to earn more than you spend.” The alienation of agriculture comes at a time of signi cant need and challenges in global food production, Mike says. “I don’t hear much narrative about how important food production is. World food production has got to increase by about 60% by 2050 to feed an estimate 9.3 billion people.” Policies being imposed on farmers have created numerous anomalies and globally there is not a level playing eld between nations, he says. He believes a signi cant anomaly is that the agricultural sector is being asked to pay emissions tax at the point of production. “The fact is that we feed 40 million people externally but we are asked to pay at production level, yet when we consume fossil fuel we pay at the point of consumption. “If we drilled for oil and exported it for 40 million people we don’t pay, they pay at the point of consumption.” Mike is advocating for long-term solutions rather than what he believes are ill-considered and rushed policies that have caused farmers considerable angst. New Zealand primary producers can rightfully celebrate the vital role they have and how much they have achieved, both in improving ef ciency of production and in environmental enhancement, he says. “The rural sector should take a moment to step back from the coal face and pat ourselves on the back and be proud of what we’ve managed to achieve and continue to strive to achieve.” “The agricultural sector has punched far above its weight in terms of productivity gain on a year on year basis than any other sector in New Zealand.” “I just nd this wave of legislation coming our way is causing legislative fatigue.” • All Accounting & Taxation Services • Business Planning & Advice • Business Formations & Setup Member of the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants Pete Amy Brian Crump Phone 06 377 2211 / Fax 06 377 2214 Call Free 0800 377 223 / Bannister Street, Masterton Amy Kerr and Associates Limited ak a Proudly supporting Michael Butterick
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