We’re told there’s one chance to rid New Zealand of Mycoplasma bovis and we’re going to take it.
It’s the right choice, in my opinion, but to have a realistic chance of success we’ll need farmers fully on board. That’s not going to happen if there is not a transparent, inclusive and fair plan on the table.
At a packed meeting in Ashburton last week government officials and farming leaders seemed still unable to give clear answers and also seemed unaware of many of the very real concerns farmers have as they try to move through this crisis. That needs to change fast.
Farming is complex. Stock moves around the country, especially at this time of year. Graziers might have animals from several different farmers on their land over winter. How do they manage risk?
There are a couple of ways this might go if the right messages aren’t received. Farmers might thumb their noses at the plan, thinking it has no hope of succeeding. Or they might shut up shop unnecessarily, in fear that they’re on their own in protecting what they’ve worked so hard to achieve.
We don’t want either of these things to happen. But to avoid that we need to know how to play this game.
It starts with the plan: stock movement and sale, compensation for losses paid in a timely manner, support for the farmers affected. These things not only need to happen, the way in which they will happen needs to be clear to every farmer. Farmers can get behind a well drawn up plan that gives them belief that they’ll be treated fairly.
As Waimate dairy farmer Leo Bensegues said last week, life is not plain sailing but if you’re treated fairly and given the support you need to carry on then you can do just that. This is not the time for learning on the job, it’s time for leadership and it’s time for listening because no one knows how to farm better than a farmer.
Bryan Gibson
