Jim Galloway elected to lead Federated Farmers Hawke’s Bay

Working collaboratively with other sector groups and “trying to head off issues before they blow up into a major” is the path newly-elected Federated Farmers Hawke’s Bay President Jim Galloway (left) intends taking.

“I intend carrying on the good relationships we’ve been building (under previous President Will Foley, right) and I’ll do my best to make them stronger.” 

Jim was elected at the provincial AGM in Hastings earlier this week after Will decided to step down from the top job after five years, but remain on the executive.

Keeping an eye on who could potentially purchase the IP behind the Ruataniwha Water Storage Scheme, the ramifications of Plan Change 6 and the nutrient limit and water allocation strands of the TANK process are other tasks ahead, Jim said.

In presenting his fifth and final President’s report to the AGM, Will said without doubt the defining issue of his term had been the Ruataniwha project.

“It has been disappointing and frustrating to see the way it has come to a halt during this last year. 

“The current regional council obviously has no appetite for the scheme and the sooner the current assets and IP around the project can be sold off the better so as to allow a far better promoter to see what can be salvaged. 

Will said he had enjoyed the challenge of the scale of the project from a Feds’ point of view. 

“I got to know and deal with highly motivated, enthusiastic and passionate people that truly believe in a better and more prosperous Hawke’s Bay.

“On the other hand I have seen and experienced the viciousness and deceit of the opposition to progress.”

Some who spoke out against Ruataniwha gained his respect and were “worthy of a debate.

“There are others who just disregard facts and reason simply to stop change.  The hypocrisy is one thing I won’t miss.”

Will said the Labour-led Government continues to take a “negative tone around irrigation … and it will take a lot of advocacy from Feds to continue to push the merits of irrigation and allow our members access to a potentially critical tool going forward with climate change and our export-led economy”.

The province’s new president grew up on a farm, completed an agricultural science degree at Massey and worked as a fertilizer consultant for nine years before starting to work the land himself.  Jim joined the Feds as a dairy farmer in Eketahuna seven years ago out of concern about the impacts of the Horizons’ Council ‘One Plan’ and has served as the Federated Farmers Tararua Dairy Chairperson.

He and his wife Lynette now run a 54ha sheep and beef farm in the district and Jim also works on a number of other local farms.

Others elected at the Federated Farmers Hawke’s Bay AGM:  Vice-President and Dairy Chair, Matt Wade; Treasurer Ben Crosse; OSPRI representatives Matt Wade, Andrew Kerr, Ben Crosse; Forestry Andrew Russell; Executive -  Will Foley, Matt Wade, Tim Aitken, Hugh Richie, Andrew Russell, Sefton Alexander (Wairoa representative), Hugh Abiss (Young Farmers representative).  The Arable and Sheep & Beef Chair positions are unfilled at this stage.

Newly-elected Federated Farmers Hawke’s Bay President Jim Galloway talks to
 Customs and Association Agriculture and Forestry Minister
Meka Whaitiri at the Fed’s AGM and biosecurity forum on Tuesday.