Deer farmers at their national conference heard speakers call for an individual animal identification system, saying if the farming industry doesn’t get on with it, it could lose overseas markets reports The Manawatu Standard. They said it should not be put in the “too hard basket”, as there is  technology already available that could be used for sheep, deer and cattle. Landcorp chief executive Chris Kelly said he is a solid supporter of a NAIT, which stands for National Animal Identification and Tracing. It is all about an animal identification system that links people, property and animals. NAIT will keep track of where farmed animals are and where they have been.

But some farmers and Federated Farmers, after first supporting NAIT, are saying such a traceability system is not required for overseas markets and are questioning whether the benefits of the scheme outweigh the costs of implementing it. Feds president Don Nicolson said: “It’s not clear that having a new Wellington bureaucracy forcing farmers to have a number plate on every sheep, cow, or deer, is going to be worth it. “If farmers think individually identifying animals is a profitable idea, then they will do that anyway.”

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Federated Farmers has lobbied hard to promote policies that will ensure farmers, the economy and the country are all on the road to success.  Farming is NZ’s backbone and will lift us out of recession.  Federated Farmers is pleased to see delivery on research, infrastructure, water and regulatory reform during challenging economic times.   “The agricultural sector accounts for 65 percent of all exports and Budget 2009 emphasises agriculture as NZ’s largest and most important industry.  It’s welcome realism,” says Don Nicolson, Federated Farmers President.

“The Government has walked a tightrope in looking to boost productivity and competitiveness without flaming debt. “That said, business is facing a very difficult environment and many NZers are being insulated at the expense of business.  Its okay to ‘preserve entitlements’ for workers but without business owners, there would be no jobs. “The Minister of Agriculture ought to be congratulated for the Primary Growth Partnership.  He has won this during a very difficult economic period and it will boost Research and Development (R&D) by $321 million over four years,” Mr Nicolson says.

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Federated Farmers is stepping up to promote vacancies in the rural sector by launching the eponymously named website, ruraljobs.co.nz. Without any promotion, ruraljobs.co.nz has around 100 vacancies listed on it right now. “We see ruraljobs.co.nz filling the hole created by Fencepost being rolled into Fonterra’s supplier login. ruraljobs.co.nz will promote all job vacancies in the rural sector and can grow to accommodate allied sectors as well,” says Don Nicolson, President of Federated Farmers. “Federated Farmers is also waiving any cost for businesses and employers to list their vacancies. We want to see rural jobs being listed and filled. Removing any impediment is therefore important given current business conditions.

“For members of the Federation and those seeking work, ruraljobs.co.nz will remain completely free. “We envisage ruraljobs.co.nz will provide a useful and effective tool for individual farmers, processing companies and those companies engaged in the rural service sector, to promote their job vacancies“Potential employees can search for jobs, list their contact details, CV and even the type of job they are seeking. “At the Prime Minister’s jobs summit, Federated Farmers put forward a range of strategic as well as practical solutions – ruraljobs.co.nz being just one of them. Being fully searchable by region means people can see what opportunities lie further afield if they are prepared to travel.

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Businesses and households may be desperately reducing debt but the rural sector is continuing to borrow as if there was no global financial crisis. Farmers have borrowed $8 billion in the 12 months to March, bringing total rural debt to a new record of $44.7b  a 780% increase since 1990.  Most of the increased borrowing has come in the last five years reports Business Day. In March 2004, agricultural debt stood at $21.1b, a 111% increase. The interest bill is an estimated $3.3b per annum but Federated Farmers president Don Nicolson said the increased borrowing was not of itself alarming.

Despite banks’ lack of alacrity in passing on the full benefit of interest rate cuts, farmers were enjoying the lowest level of interest rates in 30 years, Nicolson said. Fonterra had just lifted its payout by 10c, adding $120 million to dairy farmer pockets, while lamb prices have increased in NZ  dollar terms by 60 % in the last year. However, Macquarie Research Equities analyst Lyall Taylor described the ”remarkable increase” as a growing concern: ”The annual growth in sector credit is still running at 20-25% per cent per annum. ”While the anecdotal evidence suggests that rural lending has slowed in recent months, the rate of loan growth implies that the global credit crunch has not yet lashed the shores of NZ’s rural sector,” Taylor said.

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The Federated Farmers/Rabobank Farm Employee Remuneration Report has found that in the year to August 2008, farm workers earned an average income $2,000 more than the average non-farm income. Farm workers earned an average income of $41,914 compared to the average non-farm income of $39,517. “The 2008 Federated Farmers/Rabobank report proves average wage levels are higher on-farm. This is good news and reflects a new belief that agriculture offers a viable career option,” says Don Nicolson, Federated Farmers President.

“The average New Zealand farm worker earned more than $2,000 more than the national average income. This does not take into account a farm workers’ total package value that actually pushes their income well above the average. “A quick check of the online job sites has just under 500 jobs listed right now and that’s only a snapshot in time. We literally need thousands of people to take up farming in order to cover retirements, people leaving the industry as well as filling the new jobs being created. Farming is a highly skilled and highly valued occupation. The Federation is moving to help meet the need for talented staff by establishing a rural jobs website to promote the many rural vacancies that exist reports fencepost.

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NZ farmers are global champions at food production and are at the top of the list for economic development,” said PM-Elect, John Key, to Fed Farmers in Wellington reports scoop.

“Mr Key’s speech said farmers are at the core of the new government’s plans to get our economy out of recession. ” said Fed Farmers president, Don Nicolson.“Mr Key’s speech reflected the fact that he has read and digested Fed Farmers manifesto. We look forward to discussing the review of the ETS, reform of the RMA, protection of property rights, infrastructure and animal identification and tracing .” Mr Nicolson said.

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