| 13 Mossburn dairy farmer Jason Herrick says New Zealand has the lowest carbon emission to milk production in the world. DAIRY PEOPLE » Jason & Sandy Herrick Russell Fredric Time to celebrate our farm systems Public perception is the driver for attitude change within the farming community, says Mossburn dairy farmer Jason Herrick. “Through the media we’re always in the eye of the general public, and never for the good things we do. “ When I was growing up every person had an attachment to a farm somewhere around the country – it could be through a family member, or friend in a farming family. In those days everyone knew how farms operated and where the food came from. These days very few people have that attachment and most kids don’t know where the milk they drink comes from; they don’t know what farms are for. People continuously see things on social media and mainstream media where farmers are painted as villains.” Jason says the constant attack has resulted in a hermit like attitude where farmers isolate themselves from the world beyond the farm gate, never admitting to being a farmer for fear of rebuke. “That will lead to mental health and well-being issues and ultimately impact on the wider public as more people leave farming and less people choose farming as a career. I use my own family as an example. None of my four kids want to go farming. They have seen what I have been through over the years and they don’t want to go through that.” Jason asks the question: “Without farmers how will the food be produced that affords Kiwis the lifestyle they have become accustomed to, yet take for granted? How can farmers once again be the proud backbone of the country?” It was with baited breath that Jason eagerly awaited the Government’s Climate Change report released by Green Party Co-leader James Shaw, only to nd agriculture was conspicuous by its absence. “Apart from the $710 million to help with R&D to help limit emissions, there was nothing. It is not hard to see what the Government’s attitudes are when agriculture was not included in the report. I would like to have seen a shift in attitude towards farming. “I would like to see the Government start to advertise and celebrate our farming systems to the world, because New Zealand dairy has the lowest carbon emissions to milk production in the world. That needs to be celebrated and the New Zealand public need to be aware of it. If the rest of the world were doing what we are doing would we have the same emissions worldwide? Probably not. It’s a worldwide problem, not just a New Zealand problem, as portrayed by this Government.” Re ecting on global events Jason says the full impact of the Russian/Ukrainian war is yet to be felt by Kiwis already hurting at the purse with spiralling in ation and cost of living. “New Zealand can produce enough food for forty million people, so in that sense we’re not going to starve. But the war in Ukraine is impacting on fuel prices and we are increasingly reliant on imported fuels. “This year Canterbury had a very poor crop harvest and suddenly all the companies are importing grain from overseas to meet the shortfall. That will disappear as of next year because Ukraine and Russia are a major supplier of grain on the world market. “As that supply ceases Australia, where most of our grain comes from, will put grain out to other areas of the world and there will be less for us. The public won’t really understand the full implication until it hits them nancially.” Maybe then Kiwi farmers will once again be valued – at least for a few days. “Through the media we’re always in the eye of the general public, and never for the good things we do.” KEYSE CONTRACTING Agricultural Cultivation Phone: 03 2486465 Mobile: 027 2051988 Proud to support Jason & Sandy Herrick Your electrical and refrigeration specialists in Southland and South Otago • Farm vat refrigeration and pre cooling • Heatpumps • Dairy services • All electrical maintenance and installation Hayden Baxter 027 765 8427 or Hamish Heaslip 027 215 0362 contact@handh.co.nz
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