Federated Farmers of New Zealand

 

Waikato

Introduction

Federated Farmers Waikato has 4199 members over an area that encompasses Raglan, Te Kauwhata, Te Aroha, Tokoroa and Awakino. Its western coastal boundary is between Taranaki and Auckland provinces, with the Kaimai Range being the natural eastern boundary.

Federated Farmers Waikato converses with six district councils, the regional council Environment Waikato as well as various rural industry organisations. The province questions and lobbies all aspects relating to what affects its farming communities. Rural Women and Young Farmers delegates regularly attend regional executive meetings.

Waikato branches serve the areas of Cambridge, Hamilton, Matamata, Morrinsville, North Waikato, Otorohanga, Te Aroha, Te Awamutu, Tokoroa and Waitomo.

Main Issues

In the Waikato the main issues are water allocation Variation 6, Transpower, Tainui Waikato River Claim, seven annual council plans and the weak position of rural New Zealand to influence political decisions.

The Regional Policy Statement (RPS) - This is a very important document for farmers in the entire Waikato Region because it might direct councils to have rules and control certain farming activities. To find out more about some of the topics in the Regional Policy Statement, please click the PDF below

District councils

• 2011 Otorohanga District Council proposed District Plan herarings schedule. 

• Federated Farmers submitted on the Otorohanga District Plan, Landscape Policy Areas and indigenous vegetation clearance rules were of particular concern. Click here to read the submission. We also held a farmer meeting about the Plan on 19 November 2010. To download the PowerPoint slides from the meeting, click on the PDF below.

• Federated Farmers is also been participating the Waipa District Plan review and submitted some comments to the Council's ideas for the Rural Zone in June 2010. To download the submission, click here.
• Federated Farmers has opposed a rise in the general rate to fund the Te Aroha to Paeroa cycleway and also urged Matamata Piako District Council to consult directly with the farmers who live alongside the disused railway that will be used for the cycleway before they commit to the project.
• Federated Farmers has also been participating in the Waipa District Plan review and submitted comments to the Council's ideas for the rural zone in June 2010 and then again in December. To download the December 2010 submission click here.

Regional council

• Federated Farmers has appealed to Variation 6 to the Waikato Regional Plan and is currently in an Environment Court process. Variation 6 looks at water allocation and Federated Farmers is fighting to ensure that farming gets a fair share of the water resource available. 
• Federated Farmers is involved and submits to Environment Waikato changes to the Regional Plan. To download the latest submission, please click here.
• The proposed Regional Policy Statement (RPS) is another big issue that Federated Farmers is working on in the Waikato. The RPS is a document that sets the tone for resource management for all councils in the region and is open for public submissions until February 2011.

Meetings

Executive meetings are held in Federated Farmers' boardrooms on London Street in Hamilton every month. The Dairy section meets monthly, except for July and August, and the Meat and Fibre executive meets every second month. Please contact the regional office on 07 858 0820 for the exact dates if you would like to attend. 

Below are the unconfirmed minutes from the recent industry group and executive meetings:

Waikato Meat And Fibre Meeting Dates For 2012 - Members Welcome To Attend - The meetings commence at 1pm and are held in our Boardroom, 169 London Street, Hamilton. Next year's dates are:

- 14 February 2012
- 10 April 2012
- 5 June 2012
- 14 August 2012
- 13 November 2012

Please advise our office if you will attend, for catering and parking purposes. Gaylene Bamford 0800 327 646, 07 858 0820 or gbamford@fedfarm.org.nz.

Provincial news

To download a copy of the latest provincial media release, newsletter and column, please click here.

Contact the Executive

Field Officers

Regional Policy Advisors

Federated Farmers 2011-2012 Directory

To download a copy of Federated Farmers 2011-2012 Directory click on the PDF below.

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