On Monday May 6, a crowd of 50 farmers packed into a small hall in Taumarunui for the Ruapehu Federated Farmers provincial AGM.
While those numbers may sound small to some, it was a remarkable turnout for a small province whose population are scattered sparsely across a vast geographic area.
So, why did so many farmers jump in their utes and make the long drive after a hard day’s work on the land? The local provincial president Robert Gray says it all comes down to connection.
“It’s been an incredibly tough season for many of our local farmers and I think a bit of a social occasion is just what we all needed,” says provincial president Robert Gray.
“The weather has been pretty good this year and the stock are in great nick, but it’s just not translating into much of an income for our farming families.
“Low sheep meat prices and rising costs have really hit farmers in the back pocket, and we’re starting to see that flow through to the other rural businesses in our community.
“It was great to be able to get together, share a meal, and have a beer. This is the kind of grassroots community stuff that Federated Farmers do best.”
It wasn’t just local farmers who turned out in numbers either, with Federated Farmers meat & wool chair Toby Williams making the drive from Gisborne to address the crowd.
The main topics of conversation? Rural banking, rising rates, and the impact of land use change on their community.
“This is one of the best turnouts I’ve even seen for an AGM. The locals are clearly passionate about Federated Farmers and the work we’re doing,” Williams said.
“They’ve got a small but dedicated executive who are working closely with their neighbouring provinces and delivering some real results.”
Local MP Suze Redmayne, Horizons councillor Nikki Riley, and Ruapehu mayor Weston Kirton were all in attendance and spoke highly of the work Federated Farmers are doing both locally and at the national level.
There were also positive signs of progression happening in the province with 33-year-old sheep and beef farmer Nathan Blake, who farms with his wife Libby near Taumarunui, stepping into the vice president’s role.
Federated Farmers, New Zealand’s leading independent rural advocacy organisation, has established a news and insights partnership with AgriHQ, the country’s leading rural publisher, to give the farmers of New Zealand a more informed, united and stronger voice. Federated Farmers news and commentary appears each week in its own section of the Farmers Weekly print edition and online.
