Farmers Protest

On Friday, farmers in New Zealand drove their tractors and utes into the centre of the big cities in a protest against the government. They were mostly objecting to regulations that have been introduced to protect the environment. Unfortunately, the government will not take much notice of the protest, because farmers are too small a political bloc to influence election outcomes, and the mood in the nation has switched from seeing farmer as heroes wrestling with nature to extract as much production from the land as possible towards preserving the environment, protecting endangered native species, and ensuring that river water remains pure (see Farming in New Zealand).

Farmers are finding the going tough, but it is no use ranting against a government that they will not vote for. If they want to understand the source of the pressure they are facing, they should read Deuteronomy 8.

In the southern island of New Zealand where I live, the European people who first settled the countryside were supported by church-based migration schemes. Many of the settlers who purchased land in Southland, Otago, Canterbury and Nelson were Christians. They considered the land to be blessed by God. Within a couple of decades of their arrival, they had built schools to educate their children and church buildings for gathering to give thanks to God for the blessings they had received.

Unfortunately, the last two generations of farmers in these blessed areas have forgotten God. Now many of the church buildings are empty, have been converted in houses, or a used only once a month by the small remnant who still want to gather to thank God for their blessing. The reason why farming has become so hard is that the people and the land have lost the blessing of God, which made life so good in the early days. Here is the relevant passage from Deuteronomy.

Observe the commands of the LORD your God, walking in obedience to him and revering him. For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land—a land with brooks, streams, and deep springs gushing out into the valleys and hills; a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills.

When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you. Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God (Deut 8:6-14).

Taking heed of this promise would be more beneficial for farming than blocking up roads and cities with big tractors. A return to blessing will only come with a return to faith and trust in God.