'Negative thinking' stifling industry

Sheep and beef sector leaders are being urged to put away the knives, dump their pessimistic and negative attitudes and work together for the good of the industry.

Meat & Wool New Zealand chairman Mike Petersen, who yesterday announced the organisation's name change to Beef and Lamb New Zealand, seven months after sheep farmers voted to dump the $6.3 million wool levy, vented his frustration at the organisation's AGM, held at the Waitomo Cultural and Arts Centre in Te Kuiti.

Mr Petersen said short term negative thinking was stifling the sector's opportunities.

"I am not expecting everyone to become a cheerleader for the sector. However, it is time that industry leaders and leaders within the wider farming community put away the knives and fought for this sector more than they are doing now," he said.

Mr Petersen used the failed Emerging Markets Project, facilitated by Meat & Wool New Zealand to target China's super premium food sector as a new market for Kiwi red meat, as an example. Two of the five meat companies the organisation talked to pulled out, nipping the project in the bud.

China's growing population and emerging middle-class wealth appeared to make the market an obvious choice to pursue, Mr Petersen said.

He put the failure down to competitive tension and said Beef and Lamb New Zealand was frustrated at the lack of engagement and commitment from the industry.

Mr Petersen warned there was a real danger that the sector's pessimism and negativity would become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Alliance Group chairman Owen Poole, who attended the meeting, was short and sharp with his response to Mr Petersen's criticism.

"The business case was not convincing, that's why we stepped back," he said.

Asked what the Government could do to unite the industry Shane Ardern, National Party MP for the Taranaki-King Country electorate and chairman of the Primary Production Select Committee, said it was up to farmers to come forward with solutions.

"It's in your hands. Let the industry know how you want it to be.

"The meat and wool sector can't continue going backwards in the way that it has in the last 10 years."

The organisation shared a five-year plan, with greater emphasis on regional sheep and beef councils engaging with farmers, and delivering more seminars and field days.

- © Fairfax NZ News