Opinion Tuesday, December 10, 2013
www.guardianonline.co.nz
The day Nelson Mandela died Willy Leferink WILLYLEAKS
T
he death of Nelson Mandela seems like a ‘JFK’ moment. Only Nelson Mandela, in the year he was elected the first president of a democratic South Africa, could address Federated Farmers sister body there like this: “You have confounded the stereotype images, spurned the past and embraced the future. “Perhaps one should dare to ask the question: what else could have been expected from a fraternity working on the land; committed to the soil and nurturing a love for the country in its bosom!” Since Nelson Mandela knew how to milk a cow, those words seem right for New Zealand today. Here was a person born on a poor farm who was later given every reason to hate. Instead of hate, he channelled this energy into something remarkable. Mandela echoes St Francis of Assisi’s famous prayer, “Where there is hatred, let me sow love, Where there is injury, pardon…And where there is sadness, joy”. Mandela also knew free trade, free enterprise and exports were vital and in 1997 said: “Successful farmers like their counterparts in industry will be those who seize the opportunities of a competitive global economy”.
CRUMB
In a later speech, he added: “Despite liberalisation of trade, there remain areas of protectionism in the developed countries. In agriculture, for example, Europe seeks to protect its rural communities by capturing markets that are the true competitive advantage of the south”. As we work towards a Trans-Pacific Partnership his words remain true today as they did in 1999. South Africa’s metamorphosis is a remarkable tribute to a truly remarkable human being. In recent weeks I have found myself the subject of the news following the sale of my farm that gave me a taste of the Overseas Investment Office (OIO). What I found after the event is that the OIO releases approvals at the end of the month, after the month in which approval is granted. This fact and the calls it generated came as a bolt out of the blue. Okay, what we were paid seems a lot of money on face value, but just like any homeowner, you have something called a mortgage to take care of first. While there is a sum left over my wife and I are not boarding the next plane for the Sunshine Coast and retirement. Instead, I am pouring much of it into wintering barns putting my money where my mouth is. I am convinced these are a solution
to nutrient loss and especially nitrogen. I am not saying it is “the” solution, just one of many. It’s a personal opinion but for the farms I have interests in, I believe these barns are the right thing by our animals and the environment. I can only hope the Canterbury Land & Water Plan evolves to reflect this and other innovative ways of farming. While I have no issue with full public disclosure over the sale of my farm, it would be nice to have been told when. As it was, I was caught on the hop at the Australian Dairy Farmers conference. If it caught me on the hop I imagine it caught the Barilla family too. It means their
first taste of New Zealand was less kia ora and more the media scrum. Is this is how we want to treat one of the largest familyowned food companies in world who can open doors for our exports? My excellent sharemilkers remain on the farm but are now partners with a multinational family-owned food business that’s been family owned since 1877. There is a ton of upsides for New Zealand there. Being an immigrant myself we’re not helping ourselves when politicians harp on about “johnny foreigner”. On the same day the OIO revealed the sale of my farm, the Auckland house of former Hanover Finance director Mark Hotchin was sold to a Chineseborn businessman for $39 million. Where is Phil Goff on that? Willy Leferink is Federated Farmers Dairy Chairperson
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