Producer Co-op. Freezing Works for N.Z. Proposed

Grey River Argus, 25 February 1949, Page 7

Producer Co-op. Freezing Works for N.Z. Proposed

WELLINGTON, February 24.

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. With the cooperation of the Meat Producers’ Board, Federated Farmers intended to press for producer co-operative 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 cooperative ownership. The council’s discussion arose from an explanation made by Mr J. R. IJovd 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 foi’ Federated Farmers’ views 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 proved so successful in New Zealand because of the number of co-opera-tive factories, the statement concluded.