Federated Farmers: Strengthening our rural communities

Farming views are often more appealing than meetings. Do what you do well.

It was great to have a catch-up with “Team Ag” Tararua last week, alongside the recovery team.

There are plenty of opportunities out there at the moment to help strengthen both the skillset and resources within our local communities.

Our discussions were broad and will hopefully lead to fewer clashes in our events schedule and a greater awareness as to what each of the organisations initiates to empower locals within communities. If you fancy a first aid course, Good Yarn workshop, comedy night, or anything else then groups like Reap or RST (Rural Support Trust) are waiting by the phone and ready to help!

It was good to stop and refocus on what Federated Farmers’ role is within the Tararua community. For me that remains allowing farmers to keep on farming with minimal disruption.

Our organisation is driven by volunteers who are all there because we want to get the best outcomes we can for farmers - your interests are at the forefront of our minds. That’s why we spend the time going to meetings, speaking to media, or fronting issues with the likes of councils.

Sally Dryland: Plenty of opportunities out there at the moment to help strengthen both the skillset and resources within our local communities Photo / Leanne Warr

Tararua Feds recently hosted the meeting with Powerco to address concerns in the wider Eketāhuna area. The interactive map on the Powerco website certainly helps spread knowledge of how broad the damage is, and the timelines for resumption are now honest and accurate. If you do have any issues following the latest widespread outage please give me a call, phone 06 3762740 or 027 4238997.

We have also partnered up with Yamaha to secure deals on subsidised generators. Yamaha see the easiest way to administer discounts as by way of a Federated Farmers membership number being presented at the time of purchase. Their head office will also separately be sending out a goodie bag valued at about $200 to those who purchase using their membership card - but numbers may be limited.

Our next local event is an evening together discussing trust law and Incorporated Society Act changes. This will be held on October 10 at 5.30pm at Norsewood Golf Club and will be an interactive evening with Perpetual Guardian flying in a speaker on trust law. Trusts have become a more complicated beast to manage with changes, sometimes impacting succession and communication pathways.

For all those on the local Bus incorporated Society, or RSA, or one of 24 regional Federated Farmers provinces, the changes coming in on October 5 do need to be considered and acted upon. The Norsewood event will hopefully give us all more knowledge about how to navigate these changes thanks to local lawyer Peter Linstrom from Innes and Dean.

Last Friday saw the Manawatū River Leaders Accord come together. Each meeting a few of the members share what they have been working on. The Tararua Plantain Project was one of the speakers this time. Having won two major awards, it’s great to have an opportunity to share our Tararua Dairy farmers’ story with a broader group of 34 organisations.

This project highlights that investments by farmers and industry groups have led to improvements in water quality. It would be great to see resources channelled towards these positive outcomes rather than employing extra regulators in Wellington.