Federated Farmers: The most honourable bullring get together

The PM was a popular attraction at the Heartland Forum speaking before a packed audience at Conway Flat, North Canterbury.

Feds' Linda Donnelly has joined the esteemed company of David Carter and Bronagh Key in sharing one enviable honour -- they've all called time on Prime Minister John Key.

To be fair, Linda had already rung the bell on plenty of people at the Future of the Heartland Forum, although for some reason Federated Farmers president Dr William Rolleston was left to finish his impassioned speech uninterrupted.

The warm-up act for the Prime Minister was resilient farmer and funnyman Doug Avery, a talented communicator who isn't shy of working out where the boundary is. His challenge to the forum was succinctly put, "As a rural community, we've got to bounce forward after challenges".

He certainly lightened the mood following serious discussion with ECan's David Bedford, whose notable quote of the year must be, "It'd be great if the RMA could give some strength to the collaborative process".

This was also endorsed by number-one crowd-pleaser Mr Key.

Charles Wiffen, meanwhile, explained the ultimate aim of the day was to eliminate Chilean Needle Grass. The grassroots Chilean Needle Grass committee (or dining room table committee, as Charles later described it) had enticed more than 400 farmers, politicians and industry leaders to the remote Conway Flat in North Canterbury, presumably because of the influential speakers.

I haven't been to a bull sale at Te Mania, but I would bet some Charles Wiffen wine that the Future of the Heartland Forum packed that sales ring like never before.

A couple of wiser men sitting near me obviously had -- they came prepared with their cushions and woollen rugs, which proved necessary as the day wore on.

Concerns over biosecurity, and the Government's actions to protect our borders, were partially allayed by Nathan Guy, who announced Biosecurity 2025, a full review and future-proofing of New Zealand's biosecurity system. Detail of the review was light, but the sentiment was there. No political speech would be complete without the obligatory 'politician with cute animals' image, so there we were admiring a photo of the youngest Ag minister in 50 years with some of New Zealand's super beagles who can pick up 40 different scents.

Another key message was water storage, the single biggest thing to GDP in the South Island.

Although the Opuha dam supports more than 500 people, Dr Rolleston later commented, "Water storage is more than just dams and on farm ponds, it includes soil water holding capacity".

William's speech is worth reading in it's entirety, as I can't do it justice here.

Like any good doctor, he manages to give you facts and figures in an authoritative way, delivering messages you probably weren't expecting and all the while you feel warm and comforted, like you've been wrapped in a soft merino and possum rug.

* Dr Rolleston's speech can be found at www.fedfarm.org.nz/publications/Speeches/default3.asp