F.A.T.E. = Farmers Against Ten Eighty (1080)

Introduction by Mary Molloy, Interim Spokeswoman, Farmers Against Ten Eighty - FATE

Basically FATE was formed out of frustration - we were trying to get the AHB to recognise that possum infection of bovine TB is limited to a smaller number of areas than they wish to believe. We have tried many different ways to limit the use of 1080 in our area and realise now that most of NZ farmers are in the same boat. We do not want it on our farms, we do not accept it is any benefit in the bush and in fact we have lost so much of our once prolific birdlife - NZ can not sustain more 1080 use for no gains at all. We were so heartened by the anti-1080 groups around the countryside but wished for them to know they didn't have to soft-peddle around farmers as there is a significant number of farmers who do not want 1080.

The areas of persistent infection are still the same as they were many years ago - it is just the number of individual farms that changes - off for a few years and then infected again. We felt that there was much to be done helping those farmers to find a way out of farming with. There are many gaps in the movement control legislation but that has worked so much better than 1080 drops have. We believe that bush/pasture margin, better targeted poisons (less secondary kills) and trapping are of greatest use to farmers - also ground control on their farms and last but not least considering different management strategies - we have come up with a lot of information that we would like to share.

Therefore our aim is to work with AHB to eradicate bovine TB from NZ farms but without the use of 1080.

To date our membership is 101 and it is my intention at a less busy time of the year to do a series of woolshed/cowshed meetings to talk to farmers about what they want and how we can help - I believe we have a lot of support but not too many have heard from us yet.

Mary & Lindsay have been farming for over 40 years and have a good understanding of bovine TB and the legislation around it. Contact Mary Molloy on or (03) 7533082.