i n t hi s i ssue. . .

• Guarding Pacific’s Triple Star

- biosecurity strategy

• From Bedpans to Beef

• Branch Line

• Submissions, Issues & Letters

• Fonterra Accord
OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF RURAL WOMEN NEW ZEALAND • ISSUE No. 1, FEBRUARY 2003

scaling
new heights

The abseiling wall at Pirongia Forest Park Lodge poses no problems for Merle Wyllie, pictured above.
Leaping off rock faces is not everyone's cup of tea, but the
women from the Waipa King Country Provincial recently
decided to give it a try.
Provincial President, Trudy Wilson, has issued the various
branches that make up the Provincial the challenge of tackling
new ventures. This inspired Oparure Branch members to
organise an activities day at Pirongia Park Lodge.
Under the watchful eye of a qualified instructor several
women, led by Trudy herself, tackled the rock wall climb and
abseiled back down. Those who preferred a more sedate
pace were able to tackle the less dare-devil pursuits of croquet,
petanque, indoor bowls and table tennis. The day was
rounded off with a picnic lunch and a bush walk.
Trudy says that pooling resources makes the organisation of
such days more feasible. ''Individual branches may not have
the membership to make such events worth planning, but
with 16 branches in the region they are well patronised when
everyone joins in.''
The activities day was the third new venture that the members
have tried over the past year. Vice-President, June Lambeth,
recently organised a successful Health Seminar. Members
and the public were able to have their blood pressure and
hearing checked, and had the opportunity to hear about other
health issues.
Rural Women New Zealand National President, Ellen Ramsay,
applauds the group's willingness to tackle new challenges
and work together. ''With a wide variety of members who
have a wide variety of interests, it is an excellent way of
ensuring that everyone has a chance to participate in events
they are interested in,'' she said. ''It is an idea that other
areas may want to look at as they consider what they are
going to do over the coming year.''
a message from the editor
This is my last issue of 'Rural Woman', as I am off to do other things. Many thanks to
everyone who has supplied information, photos and encouragement over the past five
years. I've loved working with you all.
Kindest Regards,

S t reng th ening Rural C ommunities Pa g e 1

editorial by Ellen Ramsay, National President
This year will again
offer challenges to
Rural Women New
Zealand and bring
opportunities to
enable us to continue
to work for the
welfare of rural
families.
Later in February
another group of
members will attend
the annual 'Wellington Experience'. This three-
day leadership seminar gives attendees exposure
to senior Members of Parliament, corporate and
agency personnel and our National Office staff.
It provides an understanding of how our organisation
operates at national level and assists participants
to return to their regions better equipped to address
the issues that challenge the viability of their communities.
National Council is revising our Strategic Plan to ensure we
continue to make best use of our resources for the benefit of
existing members as well as potential members.
We will be seeking sponsorship options and pursuing
partnership possibilities to enable us to continue to offer new
and inspiring initiatives to rural women.
Councillors will be endeavouring to establish some new
groups (for example, Dinner Groups and Women in Farming
groups) in their regions, and Regional Action Plans indicate
a number of enterprising events are on the drawing board.
Regional Development Officers will provide valuable support
to assist members to implement these plans.
As District Health Boards begin to set-up Primary Health
Organisations (PHOs) in their areas we need to be involved
to understand how they will work and to ensure rural people
will not be disadvantaged.
PHOs will be funded to provide health services, such as those
delivered by GPs and Practice Nurses. Funding will be on a
population basis and based on the healthcare needs of people
in an area.
There is some concern this will create inequities in access
to healthcare.
The Draft Biosecurity Strategy is currently available for
comment. Biosecurity risks are increasing.
It is vital that New Zealand has a strong risk management
programme in place to protect agriculture production and
health and environmental issues. We will be seeking your
views to help us develop our submission.
Tess Casey, our Communications Officer, has left us for new
challenges. Tess has made many valuable contributions to
our work and we wish her well.
Page 2
farmer jones’ diary
If you didn't know any better you'd think one of those TV
surprise decorating crews, led by a deranged, colour-blind
nihilist and accompanied by a renegade SAS squad, had
attacked my house and garden. It took three days to turn
our home into a war zone. I had the flu at the time otherwise
I would have had a nervous breakdown. Mind you, if I
hadn't had the flu it probably wouldn't have happened.
Children get away with a lot when you're delirious.
To be fair they thought they were helping. Jones had been
dragged off on a Scout trip with 10. He left 21 and 17 in
charge of painting the house. He left strict instructions
about the use of heat guns, not letting Darryl near a heat
gun and lots of threats about them not getting paid if they
failed to obey his instructions.
As soon as they drove down the driveway I developed a
blistering sore throat, and three hours later I had a
temperature, an eye-crossingly bad headache and was
finding it very hard to stand up. I pointed 14 vaguely at the
tins in the pantry and went to bed. I woke up 3 hours later
to her shouting, ''SHUT UP YOU GUYS - MUM'S SICK!''
Bless her. Things went down hill from there, really.
Day One: 10am. 21 and 17 turned up at bedside with
paint charts because they had lost Jones' instructions.
Squinted at the charts and pointed at the colours we had
picked. Then thought better of this and took colour charts
and circled the colours and wrote where they were supposed
to go. Boys seemed very indignant.
11am. Woke up to smell of smoke and shouts. Staggered
outside to find source of smoke was a small hole burned
into side of house. Darryl holding heat gun and looking
slightly surprised.
Day Two: 10am. Woke up to smell of smoke and shouts.
Staggered round house until I found 14 and 17 in laundry
with washing machine, which was bouncing round floor
and billowing black smoke.
2 pm. Woke up to smell of smoke and sirens. Staggered
outside to find hay paddock on fire, and Darryl holding heat
gun and looking slightly guilty. Had been banned from house
so decided to strip paint on front gate. Gate also on fire.
Washing machine inexplicably sitting in middle of front lawn.
Day Three: Woke up to 14 informing me the Armed
Offenders Squad was here. Staggered outside to find lots
of creepy black clad men with guns sneaking up on Darryl's
tent. Distracted momentarily from this by sight of back of
house, which was painted lime green with purple windows.
Made mistake of screaming, ''I'm going to kill you boys!''.
Armed Offender tackled me to ground. Ascertained that
Darryl was wanted for series of arsons around country.
3pm. After four hour siege Darryl gave himself up. He
came out shouting, ''I didn't mean to, man!'' Am now
waiting at charred gate for Jones who is due back any second.
Need to break it to him gently that he has no hay, a lime
green house with hole in wall, no washing machine, and a
forensic team searching Darryl's tent. He may have coronary.
S t reng th ening Rural C ommunities

submissions
Rural Women New Zealand has recently
made the following submissions:
• NZ Biotechnology Strategy, December
issues
Women in Farming Groups: FMG have agreed
to sponsor the Women in Farming Groups.
The groups are also now officially under
the umbrella of Rural Women New Zealand,
as Associate Groups.
ATV Safety: ACC and the NZ Police have
launched a new school education resource
called 'About ATVs'. It is aimed at primary
school aged children from Years 3 - 8 and
includes safety information and personal
experience about what can happen when
children ride ATVs. There is a video about
a little girl called Georgina who was killed
while riding an ATV on her family's farm.
There are strict guidelines about the use of
the video, which has quite an emotional
impact. It is a great resource for any groups
planning to hold School Safety Days in
conjunction with local schools. If you would
like a copy of the resource contact Helen
Harris, Co-ordinator School Road Safety
Education, on ph: 04 474 9423 or email
helen.harris@police.govt.nz
publicity
Media releases
• New Sponsor For Women in Farming
Groups, 20 November
• Biotechnology Strategy Lacks Substance,
5 December
• Schools Deny Leaving Certificates Because
of Unpaid Fees, 6 December
Media Interviews / Articles
• Wairarapa Times Age, re: Rural
Connection Charges, 11 November
• Southern Rural Life, re: Kyoto Bill, 6
November
• Radio New Zealand Rural News, re:
Biotechnology Strategy, 6 December
• Radio 4X0, re: rural issues, November
• Southern Rural Life, re: Fonterra Accord,
November.
• Dominion Post, Evening Standard, Rural
News, High Country Herald, Radio NZ
Rural News, re: School Fees, December.
S t reng th ening Rural C ommunities
biotechnology strategy
issues
The government's proposed Biotechnology Strategy is inadequate
and will not provide New Zealand with a sound platform from
which to tackle biotechnology issues. This was Rural Women
New Zealand's message to the Ministry of Research, Science
and Technology in our submission on the NZ Biotechnology
Strategy Discussion Document.
Our submission criticised the strategy, saying it fails to take into
account all the factors recommended by the Royal Commission
on Genetic Engineering. ''The Strategy does not address many
of the challenges posed by the Royal Commission. It does not
propose any way of addressing concerns about cultural, ethical
and spiritual issues. It does not address the need for a 'system
guardian' and it does not address ways to identify trends or
anticipate future opportunities and risks,'' says National Deputy
President, Sherrill Dackers in a recent media release. ''The logical
way to address these issues is to establish a Parliamentary Commissioner
for Biotechnology.''
The idea to establish a Parliamentary Commissioner was recommended by
the Royal Commission, but the government set it aside. Our submission
suggested that it might now be timely to reconsider the merits of it.
''Part of the reason the Strategy lacks substance is because the work
programmes of the officials dealing with the government's response to the
Royal Commission is extremely fragmented,'' Mrs Dackers says. ''This is
made worse by the artificial pressure of the October 2003 deadline. A
Parliamentary Commissioner would bring the cohesion and focus that is
clearly lacking at the moment.''
Rural Women New Zealand's submission also recommends extending the
moratorium on commercial release of GE until a substantive strategy is
developed. ''The Biotechnology Strategy should be the framework that
underpins how New Zealand tackles the huge issues posed by GE,'' Mrs
Dackers said. ''It would be frightening to think that this proposed strategy
is all we have to go on.''
new statistics on student loans
Statistics NZ has released new information about student loans. Only 6%
of students who borrowed under the Student Loan Scheme in any of the
four years to 2000 had completely repaid their loans by 2000. Just under
half those who took out loans in 2000 borrowed less than $5000. The
amount borrowed varied according to the student's field of study. The
highest average levels of borrowing occurred among students enrolled in
food, hospitality and personal services ($6920), health ($6630) and
engineering and related technologies ($6480). On average students who
took out a student loan between 1997 and 1999 and then went overseas
owed $6900 more than those who remained in New Zealand.
Tb control levy
The Animal Health Board Members Committee has been unable to agree
on a funding method for Tb vector control and the decision may rest with
Agriculture Minister, Jim Sutton. The disagreement follows an independent
review that recommended an export earnings based system for future
funding. This would mean the dairy industry would have to pay $13
million more than at present. Dairying representatives agree that they
should pay more but say such a big jump is ridiculous. Mr Sutton will
make a decision early this year, unless the Board can agree on a new
system in the meantime.
Pa g e 3
feature gu ard i n g p a c i f i c ’s
tr i p l e s ta r
Over the past few years our borders have been
breached by a number of nasties that have
threatened not only our native flora and fauna,
but our economy as well.

We have seen poisonous spiders, mosquitoes,

moths and even snakes turn up in places like
imported vehicles, grapes and florist shops. At
the moment Aucklanders are having to put up with
an unpleasant and costly spraying programme to
get rid of the Painted-Apple Moth. Beekeepers
and the horticulture industry are still dealing with
the impact of the Varroa mite.

For an economy largely reliant on the export of

agricultural and horticultural produce the arrival
of unwanted pests and diseases is something of a national
disaster.

For many years we have been protected by our relative

isolation from the rest of the world. With travel now being
easier, increased trade with other countries, and growing
success as a tourism destination, we are no longer as isolated
or protected. Unwanted pests and diseases are arriving by
air, sea and on the feet of our visitors.

Over the past few years Rural Women New Zealand, and
other rural based groups, have asked that the Government
tighten and review our biosecurity arrangements. Just before
Christmas the Biosecurity Council published the draft of New
Zealand's Biosecurity Strategy. Titled 'Guarding Pacific's
Triple Star', the draft has been put together following extensive
nationwide consultation on 2001's Biosecurity Strategy Issues
Paper. Proposals in the draft were prepared on behalf of the
Biosecurity Council and are not Government policy.
The draft proposes changes to several aspects of our current
biosecurity system. These include strengthening the support
structure around two primary lead agencies - MAF and the
Ministry of Fisheries. The Biosecurity Council would be
reconstituted as a ministerial advisory forum, a new science
advisory panel would be established and MAF biosecurity
would gain an advisory board.
Nine of the 23 recommendations being made are about
leadership and participation. Ten are about decision-making
priorities and three are about capability and funding. A
recommendation is also made on the concept of Tiakina
Aotearoa and acting responsibly under the Treaty of Waitangi.
''We now have six months to finalise this work so that we
can draw all these themes into a common agreement on
goals, objectives and measurable targets,'' says Biosecurity
Council Chair, John Hellstrom. ''By July 2003 I expect an
approved Strategy will usher in an new era for biosecurity,
with much greater potential for the lead agencies to lift their
overall performance. This Strategy is about having a clear
and consistent whole-of-government approach to addressing
all of the biosecurity threats to our economy, our environment
and our public health.''
He says that the essential focus of the proposed changes is
to augment and streamline the structures we already have in
place to better integrate biosecurity actions carried out by a
number of agencies. The draft strategy takes a light-handed
approach to restructuring, focusing much more on the need
for clear, transparent and consistent processes for making
decisions and setting priorities. Accountability is also looked
at, with proposals to make accountabilities more formal,
complete and clear.
The draft is available for feedback until 28 February. Print
copies are available in Public Libraries throughout New
Zealand, and have been mailed to everyone who made
submissions to the strategy development team. It is also
available on the Internet at www.biostrategy.govt.nz.
Rural Women New Zealand was not impressed to find that
a hard copy of the draft would cost $20.
''Such an important document should be freely available to
the public,'' outgoing Executive Officer, Liz Mende says. ''I
hope that the cost is not an indication that the Biosecurity
Council is under-funded and under-resourced.''
Liz also says that at first glance the Strategy fails to make
any substantive recommendations and she urges members
to contact National Office with their thoughts and ideas.

Page 4 S t reng th ening Rural C ommunities

from be d p a ns to b e e f
Beth and stepson, Andrew, in the thick of things
Fourteen years ago, at the age of 60, Beth Geddes retired
from nursing and headed to the Hokianga to take up farming.
The idea at the time was that the farm would be a retirement
project. She had talked it over with a cousin and they had
agreed they would enter into the venture together, following
the death of Beth's husband. ''I didn't realise how little
my cousin actually knew about farming,'' Beth says,
ruefully.
Beth didn't have much idea either. For most of her working
life she had been a nurse in Auckland. When she retired
she held the very responsible position of Assistant Principal
Nurse at National Women's Hospital. But changing direction
was not entirely unusual for her. Beth took up nursing at
the age of 30, after returning from her OE. For twelve years
prior to that she had been a shorthand typist and book-
keeper.
''Office work and nursing experience is actually excellent
preparation for farming,'' Beth says.
The farm, at Umawera in the Hokianga, was very run down
when Beth took it over. The 155 hectare property has
needed a lot of work to get it up to scratch and Beth has
had to use her nursing superannuation to keep things ticking
over. It is only recently that it has started to show some
financial returns.
Beth runs the farm almost single-handedly, and says it has
S t reng th ening Rural C ommunities
profile
been a very steep learning curve. ''I knew nothing
when I started. I was thrown into the deep end
and had to learn as I went. Luckily I have had
wonderful support and advice from my friends
and neighbours.''
In addition to the farm Beth also leases a further
200 hectares for grazing, and runs 300 cattle,
including 100 breeding cows and one Simmental
and two Angus breeding bulls. She does most
of the day to day work herself, but gets help for
the big jobs such as drenching, fencing and
fertilising. A stockman helps with the management
of the herd when needed.
Beth says the cattle are her absolute pride and
joy, and it would seem that she is justifiably
proud. Recently one of her Black Angus steers won first
prize for heavy export beef during the ANZ-AFFCO Beef
Week 2002 North Island Beef Evaluation. She says that if
there is a secret to her success it is having good bulls. ''I
am very particular about this. Plus, you also need good
fencing, feeding and fertilizer. I believe that if you look after
the land it will look after you. It is held in trust for future
generations.''
The prize-winning steer had a carcass weight of 347.1
kgs and was 22 months old. Beth says she treats all her
animals the same and there was no special attention given
to the animal in competition. ''They are all fed on 80%
kikuyu and 20% clover, with lots of hay in the winter.
My aim is to feed them all well and have quiet, happy
animals.''
Not everyone finds it easy to believe that Beth manages her
farm on her own. During the Northland Beef Competition
she won a spot prize of drench and was told it was ok if
she wanted to give it away. She could have put up with this
if it wasn't compounded by her prize-winning certificate
reading 'B. & L. Geddes'.
''I had advised them earlier that I was B.L. Geddes,'' Beth
says,''but it was obviously a bit of a stretch for them to
believe a woman on her own could win the competition.''
Beth is a member of Rural Women New Zealand's Puketi
Branch, and says that her prize winning steer also has
Rural Women New Zealand connections. The animal's
grand-sire and sire came from the farms of fellow members
Oona Price and Daphne Graham.
Beth has no intention of retiring from her retirement. The
thought of going back to the fast pace, dense traffic and
bright lights of Auckland does not appeal to her at all.
''No way,'' she says. ''I enjoy the outdoor life and caring
for the animals and the land. I love what I do. It's a
wonderful life in the Hokianga.''
Pa g e 5
branchline welcome rambling roses
new
ne w friends
fr iends
Associate Member: Sally Millington
Rotomanu: Adrienne Ruesink
Yvonne Gibson
Doubtless Bay: Maureen Fisher
Cambridge: Jean Taylor
Muhunoa East: Dianne Standen
Lyn Williams
Otatara North: Lynne Peachey

farewell
old friends
fr iends
Hazelburn: Diana Carter (Life Member)
Whangaroa: Honor Atwell (Life Member)
East Invercargill: Colleen Howard
Piako Waikato East Provincial:
Ann Caldwell (National Member
of Honour)
May They Rest in Peace
honors boar
boardd
Branch Life Membership
Doubtless Bay: Jan Watson
ACWW NEWS
Planning for the next World Triennial Conference to
be held in Hobart, Tasmania, 23-24 March 2004 is
well underway. Individual members will find the
registration form in the October-December 2002 issue
of 'The Countywoman'. The form should be returned
to London by 12 September 2003.
In response to a number of requests I am proposing
to explore the possibilities of organising a Touring
Party. If anyone is interested in joining with me for
perhaps a ten-day tour plus the conference please
make contact with either June Haultain or myself by
the end of March 2003. There will be information in
the mailing from Rural Women New Zealand National
Office in February.
I am aware that there are Provincials and Branches
that have regular contacts with Pacific Island Societies.
It would be good if you could keep me informed of
your activities and I would then be in a better position
to action requests when I receive them.
Any Individual ACWW member who would like to
receive a copy of my quarterly newsletter may do so
by sending me four stamped addressed envelopes.
(Continued on opposite page)
Kourawhero Branch members opened their gardens to the
public recently for a Country Garden Ramble and raised over
$1000 for the restoration of their local hall. Pictured (from
left to right) are Trudy Busch, Val Curtis, Carol Andersen,
Lorraine Hatfull, Maureen Phillips (in barrow), Daphne Cocker,
Mary-lyn Meek and Summer Garner, who are the gardeners
who opened their gardens to the public. The ramble was
held on a Saturday and tickets were available from the local
Information Centre and garden centres. Morning and afternoon
teas were available at the Hall. Kourawhero is a farming
area, 6km west of Warkworth, which was settled after WWI.
The Hall was formerly a school, which has been used as a
social centre for the community since it closed in 1936.
Taking Action...
• A lack of Kidsafe Week activities relevant to rural children
was behind Otago Executive's decision to organise a Safety
Day for children from three local schools. The Kidsafe
Week was focused on walking school buses which, while
being a great initiative, is not practical for rural children.
Instead the Safety Day looked at electrical, fire and water
safety. President, Ann Murphy, said that the children
learned how to evacuate a burning building, some common
electrical dangers in the house, and how to behave safely
around water. The three 20 minute sessions were run by
electrician Gary House, Fire Safety Officer Barry Gibson,
and former lifeguard Stephanie Jenkins.
• Otago members have also been busy putting together
activity packs and sponge bags for the Children's Ward at
Dunedin Hospital. Members throughout the area donated
the items and the bags were put together during branch
meetings. In addition to this they have also celebrated
their 75th Birthday with an afternoon tea at the Savoy
Restaurant in Dunedin, and had their two minutes of fame
on TV One’s ‘Holmes’ show the following week.

Page 6 S t reng th ening Rural C ommunities


• At the opposite end of the country, Doubtless Bay members
had a good clean up to mark World Rural Women's Day.
They scoured Taipa Beach, the river bank and nearby streets
for litter and managed to fill three rubbish bags. Most of
the discarded items were bottles and cans.
• Congratulations to:
- Anna Scarlett, daughter of Karamea member Nova
Scarlett, who has been selected for the Silver Ferns.
- Joyce Roberts, also from Karamea, who is doing
flight training with the Christchurch Flying School,
and flew solo for the first time recently.
• Rerewhakaaitu branch members have had a busy spring.
They enjoyed an International Dinner on World Rural
Women's Day and recently got together to replant The
Garden of Memories, which was established more than 20
years ago, outside their local hall.
• The Levin Adventure Park is now home to a Magnolia
Grandiflora, thanks to Muhunoa East branch. Members
planted the tree to celebrate World Rural Women's Day.
• Volunteers studying for exams at the Otorohanga branch
of St John Ambulance have the Otewa branch of Rural
Women New Zealand to thank for the donation of more
than $500 worth of medical textbooks. The books were
gratefully received, as they will help St John's volunteers
and staff complete the assignments and courses they need
to undertake in order to update their skills.
The money for the donation came from profits made by
Otewa branch's regular Craft Fairs. For the first time in 12
years no fair was held this year, as the money raised from
previous years still had not been spent. In addition to the
books for St Johns, a $400 digital blood pressure monitor
was donated to Otorohanga's Beattie Home.
• People at Cherry Grove, near Taumarunui, will be able to
picnic in comfort now, thanks to Taumarunui Branch. The
branch has assisted the local District Council with the
upgrade of the facilities at the scenic spot by donating three
new picnic tables and benches. Mayor Sue Morris said
that the tables are a wonderful gift to the local community.
''We want to promote Cherry Grove and it is so hard to
stretch the budget for items like this.''
The tables and seats have been sourced locally and will
eventually have plaques marking the contribution. Seats
have also been donated to the local cemetery for the use
of visitors.
• Congratulations to Lesley McIntosh of North Otago who
has begun writing for the Otago Southland Farmer - a
fortnightly publication delivered free to 19,000 homes in
rural areas south of the Waitaki River. Lesley has recently
completed a Diploma in Freelance Journalism.
S t reng th ening Rural C ommunities
NOTICEBOARD
noticeboard
National Women in Business Week
1 - 9 March 2003
Visit www.HerBusinessEvents.com for details or
phone 0800 Her Business (0800 437 287).
Rural Women New Zealand
National Conference
Monday 19 May - Thursday 22 May 2003
Venue: Forum North, Whangarei
Registration forms will be sent out in February.
National Council Contacts
President: Ellen Ramsay
Ph: 03 465 1702
Email: avocaview@paradise.net.nz
National Deputy President: Sherrill Dackers
Ph: 09 437 0572. Email: GRSMD@xtra.co.nz
National Finance Chair: Patsy Gordon
Ph: 03 236 4156. Email: pgordon@ispnz.co.nz
Region One Councillor: Rhonda Riddle
Ph: 03 239 5744
Region Two Councillor: Margaret Chapman
Ph: 03 697 4869. Email: mgchapman@xtra.co.nz
Region Three Councillor: Ivy Price
Ph: 03 544 5405
Region Four Councillor: Jacky Stafford
Ph: 06 857 7147. Email: rb.jl.stafford@xtra.co.nz
Region Five Councillor: Tini Wetting
Ph: 07 304 9706. Email: wettingt@xtra.co.nz
Region Six Councillor: Barbara McPhee
Ph: 07 873 8411
Region Seven Councillor: Sherrill Dackers
as above.
Snippets from October
ACWW Board Meeting. (continued)
• 2003 will be the United Nations Year of Fresh Water
and will see the start of the Decade of Literacy. Rural
Women New Zealand has already made a contribution
by funding a water tank to store fresh water in Samoa
but there is much more to be done.
• 2004 will be the 10th Anniversary of the International
Year of the Family. We need suggestions as to how we
could celebrate.
• The theme for International Rural Women’s Day, 2003,
will probably be “Access to Land and Water is the Key
to Sustainability''.
• For the computer wise members ACWW has a web
page. Check it out sometime at www.acww.org.uk
Jeanette Tarbotton
ACWW South Pacific Area President
Pa g e 7
thank you r ural women nz
For the past few years your copies of this
newsletter have been despatched to you by
the Parent Group from Berhampore School in
Wellington. The school does the mailout as
a fundraiser, and has put the money towards
buying new computer equipment.

Principal, Mark Potter, says the school is very

grateful for the opportunity to do the mailout.
''We are a low decile, multi-cultural school
and fundraising isn't easy for us. And as well
as being able to buy some new computers, the
mailouts have also provided an opportunity
for the school community to get together.
We've had parents, staff, grandparents, aunties
and children all sitting round the staffroom
table counting the magazines and sticking on
stamps.''

f o n t e r r a a c c o r d s t i r s u p c o n t r ove r s y
All livestock farmers are entitled to feel apprehensive about
the potential impacts of the proposed Fonterra Accord.
Fonterra is proposing to enter into an Accord with MAF, the
Ministry for the Environment and Regional Councils to work
together to achieve 'clean, healthy water in dairying areas.'
So far Fonterra has not discussed the Accord directly with
its shareholder suppliers or even given them a copy of the
document. But all Regional Councils have seen, discussed
and endorsed it.
Fonterra believes that an industry-backed Accord to improve
environmental performance of dairy farming will send a
strong message to the public and to domestic and international
consumers. This is commendable, but there are concerns
over whether an Accord is the best way to achieve the desired
result.
In 2001 Fonterra, in conjunction with a small industry group,
developed 'Market Focused' - guidelines for environmental
protection and animal welfare issues. The guidelines were
voluntary and intended to encourage people to actively
participate to ensure New Zealand maintained a positive
image in the market place.
Now Fonterra has committed to specific time-frames and
targets and stated it will enter into an agreement with its
suppliers to ensure these targets are met. It appears to be
saying that adherence to these agreements will be a condition
of supply.
Within the Accord, Fonterra has clear priorities for action
and performance targets. The action plans will be developed
with Regional Councils and have definite dates for compliance.
Cows are to be fenced out of streams, rivers and lakes.
Where stock cross water courses more than twice a week
bridges or culverts will be required to be built. All dairy
effluent discharges are to comply with resource consents
and regional plans immediately. And all dairy farms will
need to have adopted nutrient budgeting systems by 2007.
The majority of regionally significant wetlands are to be
fenced, also by 2007.
Fonterra intends to have this Accord implemented by December
2003. While few would argue with what the Accord is trying
to achieve, the practical implications and costs of this will
be huge.
Farmers are disturbed by the lack of consultation and are
concerned about Fonterra taking on the role of regulator.
There are also concerns that this type of Accord will set a
precedent for other agricultural industries.
''The speed with which this has happened is bewildering,''
says Otago Federated Farmers President, Mike Elliot. ''Much
more thought should have gone into developing the principles
of the Accord.''
He believes better environmental outcomes will be achieved
through education rather than legislation.
by Ellen Ramsay

Official Journal of Rural Women New Zealand • PO Box 12021, Wellington • Tel 04 473 5524 • Fax 04 472 8946

Email ruralwomen@clear.net.nz • www.ruralwomen.org • ISSN no 1171-4425

Editor Tess Casey, Head Office, PO Box 12021 Wellington • Printer: Precise Print, Paraparaumu

Page 8 S t reng th ening Rural C ommunities