Campaign to rescue farmers from policy tsunami in New Zealand

Beef + Lamb NZ and rural advocacy group 50 Shades of Green have launched a campaign to raise awareness about what they see as crippling government policies. The Kiwis Backing Farmers campaign highlights what it says is an overwhelming wave of policies and proposals threatening the future of sheep and beef farms and rural communities across New Zealand. BLNZ chair Andrew Morrison said the cumulative impact of all the policy changes affecting sheep and beef farmers is massive and likely to drive many to consider if they have a future in the sector. “The conversion of whole productive sheep and beef farms into carbon farms, impractical freshwater reforms, excessive methane targets and heavy-handed measures that disincentivise biodiversity protection are among the policies the red meat sector is demanding the government fix,” he said. “Our farmers are actively working to address climate change, improve our waterways and protect New Zealand’s biodiversity, and we’ve been making great ...