Editorial - Lock the Gate

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We are calling on all New Zealand farmers to refuse any further access to or across their land by fishers and hunters. It is clear that their governing body, Fish & Game, has no respect or regard for the dairy farming sector, and therefore do not want to be associated with the farming sector – including hunting and fishing on their land.

Rural News acknowledges it is a serious call to ask farmers to block access and one not to be taken lightly. However, we believe as an advocate for the New Zealand farming sector and farmers it is time Fish and Game’s incessant and anti-farming attitude was challenged.

The monopolistic lobby has been beating the same anti-dairying drum for more than a decade. Its myopic, negative view of the sector and clear non-appreciation of any of the work done by farmers and the wider agricultural sector to improve water quality over the years has become tiresome. 

Its latest offering – the dodgy online survey again attacking the dairy sector – is the latest example of the length to which the lobby group will go to tarnish the New Zealand economy’s star performer.

Rural News says enough is enough.  We believe that most fishers and hunters understand the importance of dairying to our economy. Most will also acknowledge the work and resources put in by stakeholders – farmers, workers and processors – to promote sustainability and improve water quality.

However, it is clear the executive of Fish and Game does not. Therefore we are calling on farmers to lock their gates to all fishers and hunters until they can convince their governing body to drop its adversarial approach to the farming sector and play a more constructive role in working hand-in-hand with the sector. Until then we say to farmers, keep the gates locked!

See more on Fish and Game’s stance in this issue