The new farmers’ lobby group Groundswell visited the West Coast this week, amid growing concerns farmers will soon need a consent for "everything they do". The group spelt out the issues to a meeting of about 80 West Coast farmers gathered at Shantytown on Wednesday. Farmer Laurie Paterson, who helped lead the Gore protest, labelled the Government’s Essential Freshwater Package as idealistic, impracticable and unworkable. "The problem is, farmers will have to have a consent for everything they do." Concerns from West Coast farmers included the proposed reduction in farmers’ use of nitrogen, which would reduce productivity, and young people being deterred from entering the industry because of over-regulation.

Source: Otago Daily Times April 16, 2021 16:57 UTC