‘Principles’ to guide Federated Farmers meat

‘Principles’ to guide Federated Farmers meat sector strategy contribution

Federated Farmers has welcomed release of the Meat Sector Strategy’s terms of reference by the Meat Industry Association (MIA) and Beef+Lamb NZ.

“I think Beef+Lamb and the MIA nail it on the head by identifying that the ‘absolute and relative profitability of the New Zealand red meat sector’ frames this strategy,” says Bruce Wills, Federated Farmers Meat & Fibre chairperson.

“Federated Farmers has pledged its full support to both organisations to create a sustainable future. We are not bedevilled by either lack of demand or low in-market prices, quite the opposite in fact. The issue is translating these into realistic farmer incomes.

“Federated Farmers has accordingly devised three principles that will guide our overall contribution to the Strategy:

• A pasture to the plate supply chain bringing greater returns back to the grower
• Structure to capture efficiencies and economies of scale
• A sense of loyalty, pride and confidence in the red meat sector.

“Given meat is an anagram of the word team we need to take that approach. Too often have we seen internecine conflict by groups arriving at their solution before trying to impose it.

“The Strategy must be a gamebreaker to change everyone’s outlook. Yet there needs to be quick runs on the board that I will start pushing too. These ideas arise from our principles approach and align with the Strategy’s initial hypothesis.

“Too often, meat protein farmers are either converting to dairy or putting their farms into forestry. There doesn’t seem a half-way house. We’ve been chasing our tail to lower profitability by on-farm returns being out of kilter with near record in-market prices.

“I know some farmers look at the Fonterra model and are searching for their ‘Sir Henry.’ While we can learn some things from the dairy industry it’s no template. This is why developing contributions from principles into the meat sector strategy is vital.

“Farmers and processors need one another because our futures are intertwined. We see that in the way Beef+Lamb and the MIA are working as one. We would all benefit from achieving T150.

“What Federated Farmers has to do, is to work at the grassroots with farmers to develop the Federation’s contribution within this terms of reference. We’re starting that process with these guiding principles in mind,” Mr Wills concluded.

ENDS

© Scoop Media