FROZEN MEAT WORKS

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25737, 24 February 1949, Page 4

FROZEN MEAT WORKS

PRODUCER CONTROL SUPPORTED

VIEWS OF FEDERATED FARMERS (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Feb. 23. Support for the principle of producer ownership and control of freezing works was reaffirmed at a recent meeting of the Dominion Council of Federated Farmers, according to a statement issued by Federated Farmers to-day. With the co-operation of the Meat Producers’ Board, Federated Farmers intended to press for producer cooperative control of any freezing works being sold, or of any new works being approved for establishment under the Meat Act. That policy had been endorsed by the Meat Board, from which funds could probably be secured to assist in the initial stages of co-operative ownership. The council’s discussion arose from an explanation made by Mr J. R. Lloyd Hammond, of Rata, about a published report of farmers’ views on the ownership of the freezing industry, continued the statement. Mr Hammond had been reported as suggesting that all works should be taken over en bloc by farmers. What he had actually proposed was support for Federated Farmers’ view that, as opportunity offered, farmers should endeavour to acquire such interests in works as became available. That would be a concrete application of the principle of producer ownership and control, and would mean that the meat industry would gradually be reorganised on the lines of the dairy industry, which had proved so successful in New Zealand because of the number of co-bperative factories, the statement concluded.