Newly minted president of Federated Farmers Whanganui Laura Morrison says that more than 10 years in and around the organisation, including time on staff, has given her a clear view of what holds it together.

“We’re a membership-based organisation.

“We’re not able to advocate for members without incredible staff on board and those policy experts, those people who are fighting our cause that are on the payroll and in our provincial offices.

“The strongest advantage for me is making sure that kind of conduit relationship is sustained.”

Three women have been elected to provincial president roles within the past month. Morrison says the identity around what farming looks like to women is continually evolving, and more women are bringing professional skills developed beyond the farm back into agriculture.

“Those advocacy roles really complement what’s happening on farm beautifully.”

She says that what that requires goes beyond simply taking turns to speak.

“It’s about genuine exchange of ideas, finding empathy, understanding what’s driving the voice on the other side of the room, and having a bit more of a marriage, so to speak.”

Federated Farmers sets policy through the national council, where remits are put forward, debated and voted on. Morrison says she has left meetings disappointed when a vote went against her, but sees that as democracy working as it should.

“What I’m really excited to see is more membership engagement in the kind of policy that we’re looking at developing.”

Younger farmers not joining is a problem she says sits with how Federated Farmers communicates its work, rather than how it is structured. The advocacy outcomes are not immediately visible on farm, and the organisation needs to be clearer about what it delivers, Morrison says.

“We need to own our geek more in Feds because it can be really dry.

“That camaraderie, and that connection that you form; name another organisation where you can come off the long run in a really broad church of opinions, have really heated discussions, and then you still go down and tyre kick round a bevy at the pub?

“It’s true grassroots.”

CountryWide CONNECT with Andy Thompson & Sarah Perriam-Lampp is our daily rural show livestreamed from 11am-1pm. Visit country-wide.co.nz on how to watch/listen or download the CountryWide CONNECT mobile app, available on Apple iOS and Android.