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Words by Anita Body

Nationwide appreciation and recognition for the hard mahi put in by our farmers on a daily basis is the ultimate aim of a newly launched campaign by Ruralco.

“Farmers. We’ve Got Your Back” evolved following Ruralco conducted farmer research which identified farmers wanted to be acknowledged as part of the New Zealand Inc community alongside urban counterparts and recognised for all that farming offers—jobs, food security, adding to the export value of our economy, and as stewards of our natural environment for generations.

Ruralco Chair, Jessie Chan says it is an important initiative because farmers should be recognised and thanked, especially since the onset of Covid. “We have come through because of our primary sector and that’s not been fully acknowledged. It has come about because of the hard mahi done by our farmers and they need encouragement and a  thank you. It’s what’s kept us (the country) going and I think we need to remind the rest of New Zealand what farmers have done.”

Research carried out with farmers found they wanted a voice for advocacy, and Ruralco had to decide what its place would be in that scenario. There’s already a lot of great  advocacy work being carried out nationally, and the campaign isn’t about replacing that great work; it is about Ruralco demonstrating its loyalty to farmers and their contribution and about improving the perception the general population has of farmers, says Jessie. “We are all in this together—instead of vilifying our farmers we should be working together  to find ways for all New Zealanders to prosper.”

“The “Farmers. We’ve Got Your Back” campaign is a way for Ruralco to give back and promote what we as farmers do. There is a story to tell around the whole country and  Ruralco wants to inspire the industry to share that story. We share the same ideals and understand our shareholders’ expectation of us as a co-operative—that we are their  business and as such, we are supportive of them. We want to start the campaign, but ultimately, we would like it to be an industry and nationwide movement.”

It’s envisaged the “Farmers. We’ve Got Your Back” campaign will run for at least a year to build momentum, but probably longer as suppliers and industry players come on board. Ruralco hopes that by providing awareness and momentum the campaign will grow to have legs of its own in the future.

“Part of the campaign is to give some respect back to  farmers because they are not feeling valued at the moment,” says Jessie. This is often because of the negative perception of farming, fuelled by misinformation that some parts of  society including Government think farmers are destroying the environment and so there should be a regime of strict regulation and compliance. “Farming is actually about continuous improvement and outcomes for the environment, our animals, and our people. Farmers strive to look after all three but can be painted in a bad light by those without full  knowledge of how we actually farm in New Zealand.” 

Weighty compliance, red tape, and feeling vilified have the potential to drive the next generation away from farming. “It’s a worry when commodities are so good, but farmers’ confidence is low. We don’t want to lose a generation as we did in the 1980s when times were tough for farmers and the next generation didn’t want to take up farming  opportunities. There’s a real danger of that occurring again.”

The campaign is about changing these perceptions and about sharing the positive, so farming gets the kudos it deserves. “There are lots of good news stories out there. Farming communities are very diverse in their makeup and their farming practices; they are thriving in a good way, and  we need to start telling those stories.” The campaign was launched at Instore Days in July, and it has already gained plenty of positive feedback from farmers and suppliers to our Ruralco Card and stores, with several asking how they can be involved.

To find out more about “Farmers. We’ve Got Your Back” and how you can embrace the campaign and become involved, visit www.ruralco.co.nz/gotyourback