More flystrike and fungal disease problems caused concern, as was the labour required in controlling outbreaks. Farmers are annoyed at government's changes to ACC and the reinstatement of the Employee Relations Bill, which they see as a step backwards. Concern is being expressed within industry that the Bill may lead to more frequent strikes at export meat plants, resulting in a permanent loss of major export contracts for chilled meat products. Farmers are surprised that scientists cannot provide any evidence that organic foods are nutritionally different. Farmers see farming as the one bright spot in an otherwise lacklustre economy, and believe New Zealand should build on its strengths and competitive advantage in the primary production sector.
Farmers see the acute lack of young people willing to enter farming as a concern.
Farm training institutes are struggling, and agricultural student numbers at universities are well down. This is considered by farmers to be short-sighted of young people, as there are, and will be, more well paid career opportunities managing large farms. MAF Farm Monitoring Reports can be accessed from the MAF website.