The Pest Control Education Trust
Our mission: Fostering public understanding of the importance of controlling introduced animal pests in New Zealand
The Trustees
Kevin Hackwell
Group Manage Campaigns and Advocacy
Forest and Bird New Zealand
Group Manage Campaigns and Advocacy
Forest and Bird New Zealand
Chris Allen
1080 Spokesperson, National Board
Federated Farmers
Mark Ross
Chief Executive
Agcarm
1080 Spokesperson, National Board
Federated Farmers
Mark Ross
Chief Executive
Agcarm
Why are Forest & Bird and Federated Farmers working together on this issue?
A number of discussions were held between Forest & Bird and Federated Farmers on the usefulness of a more coordinated approach to improving public understanding of the use and properties of 1080. It was agreed that the ideal ‘co-owners’ of the project were Forest & Bird, representing conservation interests, and Federated Farmers, representing agricultural interests. The rationale for Federated Farmers and Forest & Bird being involved includes:
The overall project is aimed at combating misinformation on 1080 and getting the correct facts out to the widest possible audience.
The involvement of both organisations in this project is seen as an opportunity to provide a coherent, thoroughly coordinated response to the anti-1080 misinformation. It also enables us to assist in educating the wider public, by providing a clear, dispassionate set of facts endorsed by all organisations who understand the importance of 1080 as one of the key tools in pest control in New Zealand.
Co-hosting is seen as a positive relationship and provides alignment on this key issue. We note that there are other issues where the two organisations have very different positions, and this is respected, based on our differing membership bases. However we view it as healthy that we can join together on the 1080 issue as a way of uniting both the farming sector and conservationists for a common beneficial cause.
- We are both non-governmental, membership-based organisations
- We do not have any pecuniary interest in the use of 1080
- We both have specific goals for the continuance of 1080 usage, these being, for Forest & Bird, control of possums and other pests to protect New Zealand’s unique biodiversity, and, for Federated Farmers, the control of TB spread and the preservation of our native biodiversity.
The overall project is aimed at combating misinformation on 1080 and getting the correct facts out to the widest possible audience.
The involvement of both organisations in this project is seen as an opportunity to provide a coherent, thoroughly coordinated response to the anti-1080 misinformation. It also enables us to assist in educating the wider public, by providing a clear, dispassionate set of facts endorsed by all organisations who understand the importance of 1080 as one of the key tools in pest control in New Zealand.
Co-hosting is seen as a positive relationship and provides alignment on this key issue. We note that there are other issues where the two organisations have very different positions, and this is respected, based on our differing membership bases. However we view it as healthy that we can join together on the 1080 issue as a way of uniting both the farming sector and conservationists for a common beneficial cause.
