BRUCE WILLS - CHAIRMAN FEDERATED FARMERS MEAT & FIBRE

Welcome to the third edition of RamBull for 2009. The focus of this issue is on two key events in the 2009 sheep and beef farming calendar. Firstly, the Meat & Fibre and One Event Conference in June and secondly, the Commodity Levy Act referendum vote in August.

Both of these events will help shape the future of the industry and both rely on your participation to deliver the best outcome - the creation of a profitable and sustainable industry.

However, we must not forget that, for there to be a future, there must first be a viable industry in the present. So in this context, it is worthwhile reviewing our T150 campaign.

Seven months ago, at a time when sheep farmers were receiving just $55 for an average mid season lamb and sheep farming incomes were the lowest in 50 years, Federated Farmers Meat & Fibre launched the T150 campaign.

The inspirational target of $150 for a good mid season lamb within 5 years aims to return viability and profitability to our sheep industry.

Now, just seven months into the campaign, that $55 lamb is getting close to a $90 lamb. This is an outstanding and absolutely necessary change of fortune for the survival and prosperity of our sheep industry.

Most of this improvement has come due to two things - a more favourable currency and a shortage of supply with some 6 million less lambs available for processing this season. It is rather ironic that the current better prices stem from years of very poor returns and droughts for Meat & Fibre farmers, who have responded by reducing sheep numbers to just 34 million, less than half of what New Zealand had in the early 1980s.

Although the lift in returns is welcomed, there is still much to be done. Faced with a continuing decline in sheep numbers, the need for consolidation among our sheep processing and exporting companies is as urgent as ever.

Today's prices are still a long way off giving farmers sufficient return or confidence to start rebuilding our nation's flocks. Wool's contribution to this T150 target is sadly lacking. This must change because, if these better prices are to be sustained, we need good income from both meat and wool.

Seven months ago we highlighted the fact that New Zealand farmers were receiving less than 20 percent of the retail value of an export lamb. I note that British farmers recently celebrated lifting their returns to 48 percent of the retail value of a lamb.

Good progress has been made, but we still need more farmers to contract their lambs to give more certainty to the markets. We also need better science, new markets, innovative marketing and continual improvements and efficiencies in our supply chains. Seven months ago some thought the gap between $55 and $150 was perhaps too large to bridge. But our target is getting closer and we won't rest until our goal is achieved.

Lastly, a plug for our upcoming Meat & Fibre Conference. This event provides a unique opportunity to meet and socialise with fellow sheep and beef farmers from around the country. A number of key industry figures will also be speaking this year. We value your attendance and I can guarantee that you will enjoy it. I look forward to seeing you there.

Bruce

Telephone: 027 234 1516
E-mail: bwills@fedfarm.org.nz

Meat & Fibre Conference

This event will be held on Tuesday, 30 June at the Rendezvous Hotel, Auckland, with a meeting of the Executive on Monday, 29 June. The agenda will include the presentation of reports, discussion of remits, the election of the Meat & Fibre Executive and cocktails and dinner. Once again, presentations from several guest speakers will be a feature of the day. The final details of the agenda are being completed and will be sent out shortly, but delegates and observers can look forward to hearing from several industry leaders on some topical issues including the Commodity Levy Act referendum.

Registration forms have been sent out, as have templates for remits and discussion items and nomination forms for Chairman, Vice-Chairman and the three other positions on the Meat & Fibre Executive. Delegates and observers are reminded that deadlines for this event are fast approaching:

• Meat & Fibre remits/discussion items and provincial reports are due by Friday 15 May, as are completed registration forms (unless the provincial AGM is after this date, in which case they are due within 5 days of the AGM).
• Nominations for positions on the Meat & Fibre Executive are due by Friday, 12 June.

If you have not received the papers, or if you have any queries about the conference, please click here to contact Eva Johnston (Events Coordinator) or click here to contact David Burt (Meat & Fibre policy advisor). Both staff members can also be contacted through the 0800 FARMING [0800 327 646] line or by fax, 04 473 1081.

One Event

The One Event Conference, also to be held at the Rendezvous Hotel, will differ from previous years. The inaugural Plenary Event/Awards Dinner will be held on Wednesday, 1 July and the National Conference on Thursday, 2 July.

The Plenary Session will deliver presentations from a wide range of farming and agribusiness leaders and politicians that will be of huge interest to all farmers. The Awards Dinner is also well worth attending, as it will be a celebration of success across the farming sector.

A highlight of the National Conference event will be a breakfast with the Prime Minister, Hon John Key, followed by the conference proper.

For more information about these events please click here to visit our website or click here to contact Eva Johnston.

The five-yearly vote on the levy funding of Meat & Wool New Zealand for the 2010 - 2015 period will take place in August 2009. The outcome of this vote will fundamentally affect the New Zealand farming landscape over the coming years.

The process was started at the Meat & Wool AGM in March with the release of the "Consultation 09" document in which Meat & Wool proposals around the levy - including the levy rates for the coming period - were published. The second stage of the process is to hold consultation meetings around the country to gauge farmer feedback. These should be completed by the end of June. Please click here to view details of the venues and times for these meetings.

We are keen to receive feedback from these meetings. If you can offer some please click here to contact a member of the Meat & Fibre Executive or Council or click here to contact David Burt or call 0800 327 646 or 04 494 9182 or fax 04 473 1081.

Federated Farmers will also be formally providing feedback about the levy proposal, both at meetings with Meat & Wool New Zealand and in a formal submission. To receive more information on the issues surrounding the levy proposal please click here to contact David Burt or call 0800 327 646.

Meat & Wool New Zealand will then develop and publish the final referendum proposal for your consideration followed by the postal voting process in August.

Some important points to remember:

• To be eligible to register to vote you must be a person who owns sheep/cattle/goats and be in the business of farming them.
• All levy paying farmers are eligible to vote - there is no minimum stock number qualification to have your say.
• But you must be registered with Meat & Wool New Zealand to vote in the referendum. Please click here to download a Referendum Roll Registration Form.
• The "Consultation 09" document is also available on the Meat & Wool website, as is a report, by Nimmo-Bell and Company Ltd, on some of the Meat & Wool work programmes undertaken in the past five years. To view these please click here.

We strongly encourage farmers to register to vote, attend the consultation meetings and gather the information necessary to make an informed decision on the referendum. But most importantly, we urge you to take part in the postal vote when it is held in August.

‘0800 DROUGHT' [0800 376 844] line reactivated
While not on the scale of last year's drought that affected many parts of the country, a number of areas have again been very short of rain and drought has been declared in Gisborne/Wairoa and Hawke's Bay. A drought declaration is also being considered in several other areas including Wairarapa. In response to this, Federated Farmers members in the affected provinces are heavily involved in work with other key players - particularly the Rural Support Trusts. We have also reactivated our ‘0800 DROUGHT' [0800 376 844] help line to provide links to support services and a mechanism for helping coordinate surplus feed use. For more information please click here.

The National Adverse Events Committee, set up to oversee medium and large scale adverse events and coordinated by MAF, has been activated. Federated Farmers is represented on this committee.

National Animal Identification and Tracing [NAIT] scheme
This process is still underway. The key event will be the publication of the second stage business case, expected in July. This report is keenly awaited and we will examine both its methodology and outcomes closely, as will other key stakeholders such as the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Hon David Carter MP. In the interim, a statement of our thoughts on the issue can be found in the latest issue of Update.

Shearing Contractors Association AGM
The New Zealand Shearing Contractors Association will be holding their AGM in Wellington on Tuesday, 12 May. The Federation's Meat & Fibre chairman, Bruce Wills, will be a guest speaker at the meeting. For more details please click here.

Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) review
Federated Farmers recently delivered its submission to the Parliamentary Select Committee reviewing the ETS. We provided the committee with two options. The first was to scrap the ETS in favour of mitigation measures and Government purchase of carbon credits if needed. The second option was for a heavy revision of the ETS in which economic tests are introduced and the primary production of food is excluded from any scheme. The committee is currently deliberating over the submissions and will report in due course. To read the Federation's submission please click here.

Free trade push
Free trade not only boosts incomes for exporters, but is also great for the wider economy as it lifts productivity and competitiveness. Internationally, agriculture is one of the most protected sectors with hefty tariffs, subsidies, quotas and other non-tariff barriers. So it is a ‘no brainer' for a country like New Zealand to be at the forefront of trade liberalisation in agriculture.

To achieve this, our top goal is a comprehensive, multilateral agreement through a satisfactory resolution of the World Trade Organisation's (WTO) Doha Round. However, in the absence of such a breakthrough, we support the pursuit of regional and bilateral initiatives involving important trading partners. Over recent years, New Zealand has made good progress with the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership. We have completed free trade agreements with ASEAN and China and negotiations are progressing with Korea, India, the Gulf States and Malaysia - all highly promising markets for our meat and fibre products.

We are working closely with Ministers, officials and other stakeholders and we are also in close communication with farm leaders in other countries. It is particularly important to keep up the push (at home and abroad) as trade liberalisation would provide a timely boost to the global economy. Just as any moves towards protectionism would deepen and lengthen the current downturn.

Resource Management Act (RMA) review
Our submission to this Select Committee also took place recently. In it, we stated that the first phase of RMA reforms failed to provide landowners with compensation if their property is protected in the public interest. We also emphasised that we are looking for an absolute assurance that this flaw will be remedied in the second phase of reforms. We then put forward a number of proposed amendments to the Act. To view the Federation's submission please click here.

Solahart
Get in quick for a Government subsidy on Solahart hot water systems before 30 June. Solahart is also offering a special 10 percent discount to Federated Farmers members. Solahart is the largest manufacturer of solar hot water systems worldwide, exporting to more than 80 countries. Their residential and commercial product range features solar water heaters including cowsheds, solar skylight installations, solar ventilation and solar swimming pool heating. A 10-year warranty is also available. Conditions apply. Call 0800 769 377 for more information. 

Farm Data Security Agreement
Federated Farmers have a new Farm Data Security Agreement. The agreement outlines confidentiality and security arrangements for farmers who supply farm data (such as land information, herds, finances) to third parties to provide services. To purchase an agreement please call 0800 327 646.

Rural jobs
Looking for a job or trying to find someone? Then visit Federated Farmers website. To advertise for employees or to see what is available please click here.

Ford deal
Federated Farmers members are eligible to receive significant savings off the retail price on selected new Ford vehicles. See your Ford dealer for details. Ford has just released its new 2009 Ranger. The Ranger's solid chassis, muscular body and rugged styling will convince you that no matter the terrain or load, it will keep coming back for more. For more details please click here.

Shed kitset discount
Exclusive to Federated Farmers' cardholders, save $540 on a Totalspan 6m span flat roof farm shed kitset, now just  $4,870. April only. Build it yourself or Totalspan can do the job for you. For more information call 0800 868 257.

Fight rural crime
DataDot is an initiative to help fight rural crime. Each 1mm diameter microdot is laser-etched with a PIN number. DataDots can be applied to farm equipment, computers, laptops, and tools. DataDot Technology Ltd would like to offer Federated Farmers members the opportunity to purchase the DataDot Rural Protection Pack, containing enough DataDots to mark household items, a workshop full of tools and a quad bike, for a special members-only price of $112.45. That's a 25 percent discount on the normal retail price of $149.95. To order please phone 0800 4DataDot or click here to visit the DataDot website.

Smiths City
Smiths City is proud to offer a 10 percent discount to Federated Farmers members. Simply present your Federated Farmers membership card at any Smiths City store to take advantage of your 10 percent discount on their range of furniture, furnishings, appliances, sporting goods and outdoor products.

Employment contracts and agreements
These include job application forms, leave forms, drug and alcohol agreements as well as time/wage/holiday registers.  Visit the Federated Farmers website to purchase.

Contracts, agreements and leases
These include land, stock, contractor; sales and purchase, agreement to grow, log books, access pads and Over Dimension Certificates.  Visit the Federated Farmers website to purchase.

E-contracts, e-agreements, e-leases
Members can now purchase online, electronic Federated Farmers contracts and agreements. Visit the Federated Farmers website to purchase.

Books
For a good reading list or for business related books. Visit the Federated Farmers website to make a purchase or to browse.

E-books
E-Books are books that are accessible online for your convenience. Federated Farmers offers the opportunity to buy these online. Visit the Federated Farmers website to make a purchase or to browse.

Clothing
Be proud to be a member of Federated Farmers by wearing the name proudly.  Visit the Federated Farmers website to purchase. 

Recommend new members
Federated Farmers would like to extend a special offer to members who introduce new members. Just recommend one or more new members by completing the form attached to your Autumn Update and free post it back to Federated Farmers.

Associate membership offer
Federated Farmers Associate membership is an attractive employee benefit, which can be included as part of a remuneration package, used as a bonus for targets achieved or simply to say thank you to a valuable staff member. Associate members of Federated Farmers receive all the products and services of full members. For more information please call 0800 327 646.

Coupon Savings
Take advantage of the numerous savings coupons attached to your Autumn Update.  

Get paid for signing up members in 2009
Federated Farmers is now looking for contractors to help increase membership. Contractor roles are locally based and ideal for someone who has great farming knowledge, knows local people and wants to earn extra money. For more information call 0800 327 646 or click here.

If you have any questions or comments about matters raised in this newsletter please click here to contact a member of the Meat & Fibre Council or call our policy advisor, David Burt on 0800 327 646 or please click here to email him.