When Federated Farmers was incorporated in 1946 the group was invited to
join as part of the Meat & Wool section. This led to the
formalisation of representation by delegates appointed at the provincial
level one of whom would be elected Chairman. The Chairman was also
offered a position on Dominion Lands Committee and Dominion Council. It
is interesting to note that the chair at the time refused the position
on Dominion Council.
One of the advantages of joining with Federated Farmers was that funding
for much of the expenses of the committee was provided. Consequently
the voluntary levy was discontinued about 1947. During the mid ‘80s with
increasing demands on the Committee and a reluctance by Federated
Farmers to increase funding, the committee canvassed High Country
farmers and a system of a voluntary membership levy was again put in
place in 1986. This remains in place but is voted on each year at the
AGM segment of the High Country Conference.
The committee structure and function has remained much the same over the
years until 1987 when the principle of having an independent chairman
was adopted. The committee elects its own chair from among the
provincial representatives. This person is then deemed to be
independent of his/her province and acts on behalf of all High Country
farmers. The province from which the chair came then nominates a
replacement member.
After the demise of the Dominion Lands Committee it was recognised that
the Meat & Wool section alone did not provide for all High Country
issues so the original proposal for the chair to hold a position on the
Dominion Council was uplifted in 1991, although the High Country
Committee retained its position as a member of the Meat & Wool
section.
A further change in status took place following the restructure of
Federated Farmers in 1997. At Federated Farmers National Conference in
1998 the South Island High Country (SIHC) group applied for, and was
granted independent "Industry Group" status within the Federated Farmers
structure.
This move has enabled SIHC to call on the wider resources of Federated
Farmers than was the case in the past when a specific (Otago-based)
policy analyst was partly funded from SIHC funds in return for his
acting on behalf of SIHC. Work done for SIHC by other Federated Farmers
personnel was commissioned on a "pay-as-you-go" basis. This included the
secretarial/administrative work that had always been undertaken by
Federated Farmers South Canterbury (the province of the founding
Mackenzie members).
Both these duties are now carried out by Federated Farmers staff: The
role of policy advisor being undertaken by the Federation's Timaru-based
policy advisor while administration is generally handled through
Dunedin. (This does require us – or makes it easier for us – to ensure
that all SIHC are members of Federated Farmers. This has always been a
requirement of membership.)
A further name change took effect in 2007 when Federated Farmers
“rebranded” all its Industry Groups. The group is now known as
“Federated Farmers High Country”.
The HCC has generally restricted its activities to those that affect the
High Country. It has been effective in presenting the High Country
farmers' perspectives in a range of issues including the Crown Pastoral
Lands Act, RHD, rural fire, pest control (animal and plant), Pastoral
Lease rent renewals and Tenure Review.
The committee also regularly seeks meetings with the Ministers of Lands
Information, Conservation, the Environment and Agriculture and their
respective departments or ministries.