Farmers flocked to the Balclutha in-lamb ewe fair last week. Shawn McAvinue asked some farmers at the Balclutha Saleyards how they were feeling about farming over the next year, what they anticipated the challenges to be and what was looking positive.
I’m very excited about farming over the next year — it’s looking great. The prices are looking positive for our lamb, mutton and beef, with strong global demand. The challenges are how to improve our environmental outcomes, while increasing our profitable [outcomes].
I feel new rules are being railroaded through and the Government is not listening. I’ve been farming for 36 years — we dairy graze and we are getting out of it next year — it’s too hard. We’ve grown grain for more than 20 years and in two years we’ll be out of that, too, because they are making it too hard to get everything right. We are going to return to wholly sheep and beef because it’s more clean and green, supposedly. The positive is meat prices are fantastic at the moment.
Next year will be a challenge. It won’t be plain sailing. Some of the challenges are absolutely ridiculous, such as the Government’s Three Waters reform. The price for mutton is looking promising.
I’m feeling all right — the prices for sheep and beef are looking pretty good. The biggest challenge would be the Government policies, like the winter grazing rules.
