WORLD FARMERS FEDERATION

Chronicle (Levin), 3 October 1946, Page 5

WORLD FARMERS FEDERATION

^ N.Z. WILL BE PARTICIP ATIN G WELLINGTON, Oct. 2. Approval of New Zealand participation in the proposed International Eederation of Agricultural Producers was given by the annual conference of Federated Farmers of New Zealand today. This decision was reaehed after a full afternoon in a discussion on reports of the delegates who attended the rec.eift International Conference in London. The President of Federated Farmers, Air. B. V. Oooksley, in his address to the conference earlier, said he was con vinccd tlnit if there was to be a World Food Board, there must be an International Farmers Organisation. The leader of the delegation to London, Air. AV. W. Alulholland, said the Food and Agricultural Organisation and various food councils were becoming a niajor faetor in international trade in foodstulfs. AVhile the Food and Agriculture Organisation existed, the New Zealand farmer would not suffer for lack of an international farmers' organisation but there was every indication that a condition of world surplus would develop about 1949 or 1950. A poliey in the farmers' interests to deal with that, would have to be determined well in advanee. It was therefore necessary to get right ahead with the International Farmers Organisation. To a question from Mr. H. E. Blvde ("Taranaki), Air. Alulholland said New Zealand would be one of the countries most vitallv affccted by world policies m food disfrilmtion. The International Farmers Organisation contemplated an expenditure of £25,000 yearly when in ' full operation in about two or tliree years' time. New Zealand 's share, it eould reasonably lie expee.ted, would not exceed £1000. In addition there wns the eost of representation. A delegation eould not be sent from here at less than £500 to £600 a man. ATr. ATulholland said that it was considered that if they were to have a farmers' organisation, they shnuld, as farmers, finanee it. Tt should be kept free of Government, jnfluenee. It was decided to approve of the

partieipation of New Zealand in the proposed international organisation and the Dominion Council was directed to mahe arrangements aecordingly. The conference also decided to request the Government that at least one niember, officially apjiointed on the recoxnniendation of Federated Farmers, oe iucluded by the Goxiernment in its delegation to all future assemblies of 1 the Food an,d Agriculture Organisation. ! "AVhat the farmers of the Dominion ' are called upon tcf decide is whether or ' not it is desirablc for thern to take . part in collaborating with their eol- ■ leagues in other countries, and -whether r nr not they really require a Vehicle for ) infiuencing world policies on food proi duction,' said Air. Cooksley in his address to the conference. "Tf such a i vehicle is decided as essen'tial, New Zealand farmers must first of all consolidate themselves into a unified organisation within New Zealand, and I then they must make up their minds ) whetlier or not they desire to support ) a unified international organisation of ) food and ftbre producers. We cannot > be oblivious to moves which are taking [ place in the world today; The Food ; and Agriculture Organisation of the L [Tnited Nations is one case in point. I. We know that quite apart from the j officials appointed by Governments to j F.A.O., influential groups and oi'ganis- , ations are constantly bi'inging before F.A.O. proposals on world food poliey. j We know also, that national organisations of farmers had already submitted ' proposals to F.A.O. at Quebec in September, 1945. In point of fact, producers' proposals were actuallv put up ■ lo F.A.O. at Wasliington at the same time as the International Producers' Conference was taking place in London. It is true, of course, that so far these ^ nroposals are from national organisa1 tions onlv, but the question which farm- - "ers of this, and other countries, must 5 ask themselves is whether, if thev do ? not get together on an international I basis, the danger then exists of - national proposals moulding interna1 tional poliey."