Agricultural Economics and Food Policy in New Zealand: An Uneasy but Successful Collaboration Between Government and Farmers (Palgrave Studies in Agricultural Economics and Food Policy)

The book analyses agricultural economics and food policy in New Zealand, where farming produce has been by far the main export commodity. Farming exports’ importance, together with the need to diversify exports away from a former colonial relationship with the UK, makes liberalising agricultural trade a major concern for New Zealand. Farmers, themselves, have influenced, significantly, policy development and implementation through their organisation, Federated Farmers. After World War II farmers at first encouraged Government financial support for farming and by the 1980s farming was highly subsidised. Farmers recognised in the 1980s that New Zealand’s economic problems demanded reduced Government intervention and accepted ending farming subsidies. New Zealand then encouraged, globally, ‘farming without subsidies’. New Zealand projected an image of environmental cleanliness and greenness in support of its exporting but into the 21 st century wrestled to maintain that image because farming impacted on water quality and climate change emissions. Contents Abbreviations List of Figures List of Tables 1 Introduction Take Away Points 2 Coming Together to Work Collectively Introduction The Farmers’ Union The Sheepowners’ Federation Fruitgrowers’ Federation 1930s Concerns During World War II The Farmers’ Federation Take Away Points 3 Struggling Towards a Unified Organisation Introduction One Big Union Affiliated Organisations Troubles with Auckland Organisational Structure Producer Boards Meat Board Dairy Board Wool Board Apple and Pear Board Accountability Take Away Points 4 Emerging from Wartime Conditions Introduction Platform Planks Day-To-Day Business Avoiding Inflation Through a Stabilisation Policy Contributions of the Sections The Dairy Section Meat and Wool Section The Agriculture Section Relations with Government Take Away Points 5 Impact Nationally and Internationally Introduction Producer Control of Meat Processing Impact Internationally Achievements in the 1940s Take Away Points 6 Farming Anxieties and a More Favourable Government Introduction Anxieties at the Start of the 1950s A More Favourable Government? A Levy to Support Federated Farmers? Take Away Points 7 The Weakening Relationship with the UK and Market Diversification Introduction Bulk Purchase by the UK—Good or Bad? Accepting the Need to Diversify Trade Breaking into the USA Market Breaking into Asian Markets Take Away Points 8 Growing Farmer Influence on Government Introduction Influence on the National Economy Agriculture Development Conference DAY-to-DAY Levy Take Away Points 9 Domestic Matters for Meat, Dairy and Agriculture in the 1950s and 1960s Introduction Meat Matters Dairy Matters Agriculture Matters Take Away Points 10 Wool: Prosperity Then Reform Introduction Prosperity Controlling Prices and Costs The Need for Reform The Struggle to Implement Reform Take Away Points 11 Impact of the European Economic Community (EEC) Introduction Reponses in New Zealand The Outcome for New Zealand Turning the Far East into the Near East Take Away Points 12 Encouraging Government Support for Farming Introduction Support for Farming Grows A Failed Proposal Levy Working with an ‘Unlucky Government’ A Failed Government Proposal and Potential Farming Militancy Take Away Points 13 Subsidisation Keeps Growing Introduction Special Assistance Responses to Special Assistance At the Peak of Its Influence with Government Robert Muldoon’s Support for Farming Take Away Points 14 Subsidies at Their Maximum and Their Death Introduction Federated Farmers Influence on National Economic Policy Removing Subsidies A Lack of Even-Handedness Rogernomics Impact on Farming Communities Demand for Direct Action and the ‘Roar from the Hills’ The Government Response and Farming’s Survival Take Away Points 15 A Comprehensive Strategy for Agricultural Economics and Food Policy Introduction Lingering Anger Meeting the Challenge of Change: A Strategy for Farming The Economy Exchange Rate Government Spending Federation Strategy Labour Market Federation Strategy TAXATION Federation Strategy Social Policy Accident Compensation Corporation Federation Strategy The Land Federation Strategy RURAL BANK Federation Strategy LAND LEGISLATION Marketing Producer Boards Federation Strategy Research and Development Live Animal Export Port Industry Federation Strategy Regional Development Federation Strategy Local Government Strategy for the Future Market Distortion Through Protection Within New Zealand Import Licensing Tariff Policy Take Away Points 16 Enforced Change in Farming Practices Introduction Dairy Meat and Wool Forestry Take Away Points 17 Reforming Their Own Organisation Introduction A Need to Reform Farmers’ Own Organisation A New Merger of Farming Groups? Giving Up Levy Funding Reforming Federated Farmers The Northland Saga The New Federation Take Away Points 18 Producer Boards’ Reform Introduction Dairy Meat and Wool The New Meat and Wool Boards Take Away Points 19 Reform to Reduce Farming Costs Introduction Waterfront Coastal Shipping Freezing Works Take Away Points 20 Environment Introduction Drought and Irrigation Environmental Legislation Protecting Farming from Pests Wood from Indigenous Forests Take Away Points 21 Water Quality: ‘Clean and Green’ Versus ‘Dirty Dairying’ Introduction Farm Effluence Disposal Attacks from Outside Government Steps to Improve Water Quality Government Regulations for Healthy Waterways Take Away Points 22 Farming and Māori, New Zealand’s Indigenous People Introduction Before European Settlement The Relationship Between Māori and Settlers in the Nineteenth Century The Relationship Between Māori and Settlers in the First Half of the Twentieth Century The Relationship Between Māori and Settlers in the Second Half of the Twentieth Century Federated Farmers Policy on Māori Issues Impact of a Māori Land Claim Take Away Points 23 Difficult Times in the New Millennium Introduction The Problems Facing Federated Farmers A Fresh View An Optimistic View Uncertainties Demonstrated in Budget Planning Assessing Strategy An Independent View Take Away Points 24 Increasing Pressures on Farming from the Outside World Introduction Animal Welfare Genetic Modification (GM) Climate Change Take Away Points 25 Trade Agreements Introduction GATT Other Trade Agreements International Organisations Opposition to Investment in New Zealand Take Away Points 26 Future Agricultural Economics and Food Policy? Take Away Points Index The book analyses agricultural economics and food policy in New Zealand, where farming produce has been by far the main export commodity. Farming exports' importance, together with the need to diversify exports away from a former colonial relationship with the UK, makes liberalising agricultural trade a major concern for New Zealand. Farmers, themselves, have influenced, significantly, policy development and implementation through their organisation, Federated Farmers. After World War II farmers at first encouraged Government financial support for farming and by the 1980s farming was highly subsidised. Farmers recognised in the 1980s that New Zealand's economic problems demanded reduced Government intervention and accepted ending farming subsidies. New Zealand then encouraged, globally, 'farming without subsidies'. New Zealand projected an image of environmental cleanliness and greenness in support of its exporting but into the 21st century wrestled to maintain that image because farming impacted on water quality and climate change emissions. David Hall completed a career in space science and retired from his post as Director of Science at the British National Space Centre before he studied Humanities and History at the Open University, UK, graduating in 2010. He moved to New Zealand in 2011 and completed a PhD at the Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand in 2016. An adaptation of his dissertation was published by Palgrave in 2017, entitled Emerging from an Entrenched Colonial Economy: New Zealand Primary Production, Britain and EEC, 1945-1975. At Victoria University he tutored courses on North American history and Modern European history. His forthcoming book, New Zealand's Invisible Women, is on the role of farm wives in New Zealand.-- Provided by publisher.