Broadband, research vital on feds budget wish list
April 27th, 2009
FedFarmers have set out their wish list for the rural sector from the upcoming budget. CEO, Connor English, says a share of broadband funding and the assurance of ongoing resources for agricultural research are vital for NZ farmers to maintain their competitive advantage, “We want to make sure we get our fair share – we need those tools to improve productivity.”
Funding for the replacement of Fast Forward still needs to be bedded down as the industry has pledged to match the Govt dollar for dollar. “One of the challenges is how much industry will front up on, given the lower dairy payouts. Things are tough, farmers are not flush.” The Govt is likely to fund rural research out of ongoing revenue and in the absence of the pool of cash in Fast Forward, farmers are looking for a long-term commitment in this year’s budget.
Budget allocation for water storage would boost a resource with a pay back over the next 50 to 100 years and lift productivity in regions such as Canterbury. “It’s not that Canterbury is running out of water, it’s the water running out of Canterbury,” However, the Budget may contain bad news for farmers. The National Animal Identification and Traceability (NAIT) system for livestock will be into its third year of funding since the governance group was established in 2006.
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