Business Rural Winter 2021

24 | Stepping up to voice concerns of Nelson farmers Kim Newth M urchison dairy farmer Stephen Todd took up the role as Dairy Chairperson for Federated Farmers Nelson at the start of 2021 so as to be able to represent local farmers’ interests at a critical time, with the sector facing significant legislative change. These changes include new national freshwater environmental standards, with flow-on impacts for farm management practices. “One of our concerns is around the way the rules are written at the moment and how they could be interpreted then enforced, possibly in ways that were not originally intended. For exam- ple, if a creek goes wider than one metre at any point then, according to the rules, it needs to be fenced. The reality is most ditches will have a wide spot so the worry is that someone will come in at some point and order them to be fenced when they really don’t need to be at all. DAIRY PEOPLE » Stephen Todd “The message we want to get across is that the bulk of dairy farmers already have farm environ- ment plans and, on top of that, they care about their farms and their future. They certainly don’t have any wish to wreck the environment. Similarly, the people who have recently bought farms want to look after them because they have spent years working to reach farm ownership and their farm is their livelihood.” By and large, he says farmers have become very proactive on farming for the environment. “All across New Zealand, farmers have invested heavily in bigger, better effluent systems and in new fenc- ing and crossings to keep stock out of waterways. They are doing the right thing.” Stephen meets monthly online with the Feder- ated Farmers team and, at time of writing, was preparing for the upcoming AGM. “What I really enjoy about the role is that local dairy farmers know they can come to me with their concerns and I can then feed them up the line. There’s that flow of information both ways. “When I went up to Wellington in February, for instance, there was a lot of discussion around what could be done at the border to bring more workers into the primary sector. It is really good to see how much work Federated Farmers are doing behind the scenes. It has been quite an eye opener!” As a fourth generation farmer, Stephen is well-established in the local dairy scene. He and wife Kim and their five children – aged from 3 to 9 years – live in the Tutaki Valley near Murchison and own three adjoining dairy farms milking some “What I really enjoy about the role is that local dairy farmers know they can come to me with their concerns and I can then feed them up the line. There’s that flow of information both ways ...” • to page 25 Proud to support Steven Todd 24 HOUR SALES & SERVICE • Servicing all types of milking systems • Mobile Shop P: 03 547 3276 Murchison HOCKING TRANSPORT LIMITED P 022 155 2505 E joe@hockingtransport.nz Stockfood, Fertiliser, Race Rock and General Cartage Proud to support StevenTodd HOCKING TRANSPORT LIMITED Proud to support Steven Todd 027 224 0744 dean@southernhelicopters.co.nz Rural Service Centre • Dairy Chem & Shed Supplies • Dairy Cow & Calf Feed • Molasses • Pasture & Crop Seed • Fodder Beet Seed & Chem • Ag Chem • Magnesium & Minerals supplies & free delivery. Steve Bethal 027 589 5522 Nelson/Tasman/Marlborough Ikamatua Store - 03 7323 042 Glen Atkin - 027 589 5558 Call Steve for all your farming requirements. Call us for all your farming Stephen Todd, Dairy Chairperson for Nelson Federated Farmers with partner Kim Sluys on their Tutaki Valley farm near Murchison. Inset: Stephen with son Oscar.