Trust Chair’s Comments Unhelpful

Trust Chair’s Comments Unhelpful

11 October 2006

The New Zealand Farm Environment Award Trust does a great job promoting and showcasing the many New Zealand farmers who implement the best environmental practices, said Charlie Pedersen, President of Federated Farmers of New Zealand.

Sadly, comments at the trust’s annual meeting today were well wide of the mark.

“The trust chair should not be suggesting, even in the vaguest sense, that New Zealand farmers face a consumer backlash and the imposition of tariffs and barriers by overseas trade partners for environmental reasons,” Mr Pedersen said.

“New Zealand farmers outperform the majority of the world’s farmers in terms of their environmental practices. To suggest otherwise is untrue and unfair and adds more power to those seeking any excuse to block New Zealand products from their markets,” Mr Pedersen said.

“New Zealand farmers oversee one of the best environmental landscapes in the world and every day show a commitment to continued improvement through their stewardship,” he said.

“The trust should continue its good work and steer clear of nonsense suggestions that New Zealand faces non-tariff barriers for its environmental practices. These suggestions give more power to the arm of protectionists looking to keep New Zealand’s top quality, environmentally friendly, and price competitive products out of overseas markets.”

ENDS

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