Federated Farmers pleased to see Crown responsibilities for pest management

Federated Farmers wish to show their support for the proposed Pest Management Plan of Action, released by the Biosecurity Minister, the Hon David Carter today.

“The Minister has announced that Crown land will be required to meet ‘good neighbour’ obligations’ and that’s been a major policy objective of the Federation for a long time,” says Donald Aubrey, Federated Farmers game and pest spokesperson.

“When it comes to regional pest management strategies, it’s a very promising step to ensure that everyone is on the same page with the Crown pulling its weight.

“When a regional council tells farmers to control pests such as rabbits for example, we go out and do that at our expense. Yet there’s been no obligation on the Crown for it to do likewise.

“Too often the result has been reinfestation of land that farmers have previously cleared of pest species.

“Although Crown agencies, such as the Department of Conservation (DOC) currently spend around $75 million on pest control, our experience as farmer-neighbours indicates it has been insufficient.

“Crown responsibilities for pest control needs to be taken into account when the Crown purchases private land. This has been evident in the expensive St James Station purchase by the previous Government, where the budget for pest control was inadequate.

“Sadly inadequate pest budgets becomes a negative for the wider environment. This change in emphasis, to become a good neighbour, is likely to be widely applauded.

“Federated Farmers will now watch the progress of this Plan with interest. Right now this looks like it’s heading in the right direction and we look forward to the Crown being formally bound by legislation to effectively control pests on Crown land,” Mr Aubrey concluded.