Government urged to resist American pressure to sell more farmland
Save the Farms is alarmed the United States may pressure the New Zealand
Government to allow American investors to buy unlimited farm land in
this country. The Minister of Trade negotiations, Tim Groser, said that
he would not give in on the special protection for land but the legitimate
concerns of the United States must be considered and worked through.
As usual that consideration will be behind closed doors.
“New Zealanders may wish to tell the Minister he must resist pressure to agree to farm sales offshore as part of a trade agreement, said Save the Farms spokesperson, Tony Bouchier.
Further the Government has just agreed to let Harvard University add to its dairy holdings here, with the approval of the sale of 1600 hectares in Otago.
Save the Farms wants all such sales to halt until there is public input into a new policy aimed to preserve farmland in the ownership of New Zealand citizens.
Contact Tony Bouchier 021 375 675
5 October 2010
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