Rebate plan for farmers

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32462, 24 November 1970, Page 2

Rebate plan for farmers

(New Zealand Press Association) HAMILTON, Nov. 23. Farmers who produced export products were in a' serious plight because of rising costs and inflation, Federated Farmers’ national president (Mr A. C. Begg) said in Hamilton today.

Mr Begg and the national secretary (Mr J. Pryde) met farm leaders and executive members of Federated Farmers in Hamilton today to discuss the economy of the farming industry and the petrol tax bill. Mr Begg said the federation’s Dominion office was working on a proposal from this year’s Dominion conference for a cost rebate scheme for farmers. “We are working on it, but there is still a lot more to be done before it is ready to be implemented," he said.

“It would be a scheme not to subsidise farm exports but to minimise the cost increases by giving rebates to farmers on increased costs, such as the rising cost of transportation.” Mr Begg said he believed such a scheme would be helpful in the present situation. “But we are here to listen to what the fanners are saying and to find out what they want," he said. Mr Begg said that not all farmers were so seriously affected by the economic crisis in farming. Those who produced for the local market were not in such an acute position. Asked about protest meetings and action groups, he said: “The amount of protest throughout the country has been a good thing because it brings the farmers’ position to the public, but militancy is another matter. “The bad thing about this recession is that while in 1930 everyone was affected, now the farmers are being hit while the rest of the community are enjoying boom conditions.” Speaking about the petrol tax bill, he said there were a large number of meetings being held to protest against it, but not enough yet to indicate the feeling of all farmers.

“We are suggesting it should be referred to a committee, or that alterations should be made to the scheme to make it more acceptable to rural areas,” he said. Mr Begg and Mr Pryde met the provincial and meat and wool section executives of Federated Fanners this morning. The meeting was not open to the press. It is understood that Waikato Federated Farmers will submit a proposal for.compensation for farm costs.