Thread: Fed Farmers threaten to withdraw Fish & Game Accesy

Not sure if this is a local issue and certainly sounds political.
One comment I have is a ‘yeah right’ when he states ‘Farmers have always allowed anglers to walk across their land as a gesture of goodwill’.
Yes some farmers are great but … And if it’s true then would it to extend to giving hunters access across their land. And yes I know some do and will do it if asked with a slab of beer or similar but many now won’t.

https://www.thepress.co.nz/nz-news/350446473/feds-call-southland-farmers-boycott-fish-and-game

An historical argument made by Feds is that F&G are funded through a compulsory levy (licence fees) that is collected through the empowerment of government legislation, and use those funds for the purpose of lobbying. This creates a power imbalance (Feds are funded through voluntary membership subscription) Feds say - plus F&G use a portion of their levy funds for medaling/subjective reasons not totally aligned with their core purpose (which I have heard Feds say is a miss-use of funds).

Sounds like they need to get the Auditor General in on the act

Any particular reason this time? Over the years there has been a number of such statements that generally come to nothing as really individual farmers decide most of the time themselves, and most of us do allow access to rivers unless there is very good reason not too.

The less people that see our dirty green shit rivers the better I guess .

The way this has been "spun" is interesting. Basically the Regional Council (Enviroment Southland) has made a monumental cock-up by relying on a provision of the RMA (that other RCs havent) and are placing the consequences back on farmers. I think it's a fairly "wide of the mark" shot the Feds are taking, it might get a bit of attention but it ain't gonna progress the resolution of the problem very much.

Originally Posted by Tentman

The way this has been "spun" is interesting. Basically the Regional Council (Enviroment Southland) has made a monumental cock-up by relying on a provision of the RMA (that other RCs havent) and are placing the consequences back on farmers. I think it's a fairly "wide of the mark" shot the Feds are taking, it might get a bit of attention but it ain't gonna progress the resolution of the problem very much.

Most of this stuff never does.


Im having a 'Tentman Issue" right now. I keep pushing cancel on what I really wish to say.

One last try.

Southland is having a torrid time right now. Its hard to explain unless you have experienced it, days and weeks and months of rain, and what it does too your psychology. Waking up at night and hearing it again on the roof and worrying about your farm and animals and the work you cant do, and not wanting to go out into it again.
So some of this from the feds might well be really bad mood.

On the wider issue of farm compliance and water quality etc. I was talking about this the other day. We are currently doing our water plan. Our council is really being helpful and running feildays and helping implement them at low cost. What we were talking about was that most farmers understand and are trying. The water plan is needed because like every group, there is a small percent who need to be dragged and forced too comply. that forced compliance means that all the rest of us face added costs in consultants and auditors to ensure that that small percentage keeps up.
They suck! That percentage that need dragging.

But often too, while the creation of documentation like water and environment plans takes time and money, the actual implementation well exceeds that, and we can be talking hundreds of thousands of dollars and months of work. often the farming community through groups like feds can be seeking delays to make compliance more sustainable to individual farmers.

So I think comment like banning anglers are unwise and unnecessary. But also I think comments like Hillbilly hunters are not helpful either.

Now that is a great response Whanahuia! Thank you from a Southlander.

Originally Posted by whanahuia

Most of this stuff never does.


Im having a 'Tentman Issue" right now. I keep pushing cancel on what I really wish to say.

But it is the truth and we should not have our heads in the sand .

Trouble is there is heads in the sand and then there is head up your arse...

I spent eleven years sowing fertilizer.i saw the good the bad and the ugly. I have seen effluent spread thick on paddocks but hand on heart can say I've never seen it pumped into waterways.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

I spent eleven years sowing fertilizer.i saw the good the bad and the ugly. I have seen effluent spread thick on paddocks but hand on heart can say I've never seen it pumped into waterways.

I wish I could say the same Micky unfortunately up here I can't.

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Originally Posted by BRADS

I wish I could say the same Micky unfortunately up here I can't.

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So the culprits NEED called out on shoddy practices... It's a matter of cleaning up as a group...bit like this forum calling out poaching or illegal hunting in general.