Reasons to farm weka

Federated Farmers is backing entrepreneurial farmer, Roger Beattie,
in his quest to secure trial approval to supply farmed weka.

“Here’s a true Kiwi entrepreneur who ought to have every
policy encouragement to see if a new market can be created,”
says Donald Aubrey, Federated Farmers game spokesperson.

“Mr Beattie firmly believes that the weka can be domesticated
and if that’s the case, it could well become our version of
the turkey. After all, that’s a bird native to the Americas
that is now commonly farmed around the world. The turkey was
domesticated around 500BC.

“I think the reaction from TVNZ’s Close-Up on Monday evening
shows New Zealanders are open-minded to new possibilities. 85
percent of respondents felt Mr Beattie should be given the room
to try. We do, too.

“New Zealand is a unique country and it stands to reason that
our fauna has the unique potential to be farmed as well. As
Mr Beattie rightly points out, no farmed species has ever become
extinct. Really, it’s the complete opposite when it comes
to farming.

“I eagerly await the Government’s response since it’s saying
2010 will be the year for export led growth.

“It’s ironic that the Chatham Islands take a far more enlightened
view to the consumption of weka and to the farming of trout.
Crazily, despite having one of the world’s most easily farmed
and popular fish to consume, mainland New Zealand treats an introduced
species as being more of a native than our native eels.

“It’s time to unleash our entrepreneurs, represented by Mr
Beattie. Domesticating some native species - aquatic or terrestrial
- actually removes pressure off the wild populations.

“I see Roger Beattie as being in the same mould as the likes
of Sir Peter Jackson and Weta’s Richard Taylor. Those two
were told a big budget Hollywood film would never be filmed in
New Zealand but have proved the naysayers wrong.

“Roger Beattie is told can’t but he replies can and without
any subsidies too. Let’s face it, if the weka was instead
a turkey, it would make us look like one for not trying,” Mr
Aubrey concluded.