Building trust
OPINION: The war of words between Southland farmers and Environment Southland over winter grazing inspections reflects a deep lack of trust among farmers for the regional council.
She says the farmer lobby is doing an amazing job across nearly 40 policy areas with an increasing number and complexity of issues.
"People don't appreciate just how hard the staff and elected officials work on their behalf or how many submissions we write, hearings we attend and outcomes we influence by just being in the room."
She says Feds is a broad-church of members, and it tries to represent everyone as fairly as it can. But she adds that, like all representative bodies, it can't please all of the people, all of the time.
"But I would ask members, and those people who should be members, to hang in there with us, there is much work to be done."
