Sheep and beef levypayers are being asked to show support for Beef + Lamb New Zealand joining an Operational Agreement between the agricultural sector and the Government on foot and mouth disease readiness and response.
Voting letters and supporting information are arriving in farmers’ mailboxes this week. Voting, which is conducted online, will close at 2pm on Friday 16 May.
B+LNZ Chair Kate Acland says it’s critical that farmers read the information and have their say.
“Foot and mouth disease is the number one biosecurity concern for our sector and this agreement is all about making sure we have a voice in decision-making about readiness and response activities and how those are funded.
“We can’t sign the Operational Agreement without farmer support. We’re asking farmers to take some time to read up on this and then complete the online voting process, which is quick and easy.”
Acland says B+LNZ is recommending farmers vote to approve joining the agreement for three key reasons.
“We want to be part of coordinated planning, we want to be involved in deciding how response costs would be met and the money spent, and this agreement has support across the agriculture sector.
“There will be no cost impact on sheep and beef farmers for readiness activities.
“In the unlikely event of a response, farmers will face increased GIA levies. Obviously, no farmer likes the prospect of potential increased costs. However, in the event of a major foot and mouth disease outbreak the costs would be in the billions, so having certainty – and a cap – on what we’d face in terms of contributing to these costs is, in our view, the best outcome for our levypayers.”
B+LNZ is required to hold a vote because signing the Operational Agreement is a ‘major transaction’ under the Companies Act 1993.
Other sector groups are consulting with their farmers and members, although not all need to have a formal farmer vote on it.
ENDS
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