Feds family mourns the death of Chris Allen

Federated Farmers members and staff are devastated and deeply saddened by the news that former national board member Chris Allen died on his farm in a tragic accident on Monday.

"Farmers have lost a real Titan in terms of rural advocacy," Federated Farmers chief executive Terry Copeland says.

"Not only was Chris hugely knowledgeable on agriculture and environment issues, he was respected for his fairness, collegiality and open-mindedness."

On an all-staff Federated Farmers on-line call on Tuesday morning, accolades came thick and fast from those who had worked with him on policy issues. His optimism, work ethic and friendliness were mentioned, among other qualities, Copeland says.

Chris was a Mid-Canterbury Federated Farmers meat & wool chair, then president, before joining the national board in 2014. During his eight years’ service in that role, he made his mark as biodiversity and freshwater spokesperson.

When a stakeholder-led Biodiversity Collaborative Group was set up in 2016 under the National Government, and continued its work under the Labour-Greens Government, it was co-chaired by Chris and Forest & Bird’s Sally Gepp. The group’s 2018 report helped steer national policy on biodiversity.

Another mark of Chris’s concern for fellow farmers was his decision to fly from his Christchurch home to Napier in the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle.

"As someone who had experienced serious flooding on his own farm, he wanted to offer fellow farmers support and his personal experience that times would be tough, but there was light at end of the tunnel," Copeland says.

Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford says Chris farmed to a very high standard, was respected and a friend to many.

"Chris always had a line: ‘it needs to be sensible, practical and affordable’. That’s a line that still resonates with many boards or collaborative groups he has been a part of.

"I'll remember Chris for being a guy who took his advocacy for farmers seriously but could always share a good laugh and a joke too," Langford says.

"His passing is a great loss to the Feds family.

"We send our condolences, thoughts and prayers to his family."