Minister challenged to provide leadership

Agriculture Minister David Carter was challenged to provide leadership in the divided meat and wool industry at a meeting of 100 farmers in Tapawera yesterday reports The Nelson Mail. Mr Carter told the farmers they too had to step up and make their voices heard, and he hinted that consolidation was in line for the fragmented wool industry. Tui sheep and beef farmers Don and Kaye Register organised the meeting at the Tapawera Hotel because of frustration at low wool and meat returns. Mr Carter said to see so many turn up showed how stressed many sheep and beef farmers were, and that was the case around the country. However, he believed they were on the cusp of the most exciting time for food producers because of the increasing global food demand, and New Zealand's ability to satisfy consumer demand for food security. Mrs Register told the meeting that wool was becoming a sunset industry as more producers opted out of the sector, yet exporters still acted as if there were no problems. She called for a return to a single desk seller and a stop to continual warring between wool co-operatives that reduced overseas confidence in farmers' wool. However, when the meeting was asked who wanted a single desk seller, only six put up their hands. Mr Carter said they did not have to go as far as a single desk, but it could help if they got a better co-operative in the market for wool. He appointed a wool sector taskforce last October to help steer the future direction of the wool industry. The taskforce has produced a draft report and the final report is due to go Mr Carter next week. Mr Carter had invited the 35 industry representatives who attended last year's wool summit to meet on February 16 to debate the taskforce's conclusions.