7.4 Adjustment pressures and anomie
The study’s descriptions can be analysed at deeper levels using levels two and three of the analysis described in appendix b.
Cognition: studying farming in context has given us a clear picture of farming in rapid transition – farmers’ understanding has moved from a taken for granted base of knowledge, definition and certainty to its current uncertain situation, and an even more uncertain future. Expectations were set for a considerable period prior to 1984 by the levels of support and subsidy offered to farmers through accepted government policy. The rapid 1980s changes - withdrawal of subsidies, devaluation, escalation of interest rates, and the subsequent impacts continue in many guises. Government restructurings, sometimes third and fourth time round, renamings, reshapings of government departments and ministries, privatisation – have abruptly altered these expectations for the worse.
In New Zealand in the 1970s and early 1980s, farmers were not only seen as ‘the backbone of the country’ but were marketed to the rest of the world as being ‘the best’ in the world. To cope with such a perceived fall from grace is hard, especially when withdrawal of interest and involvement is perceived to be so complete.
The current ideology of ‘individual responsibility’ is also of great importance. Ironically, this fits the past and present image of the ‘kiwi farmer’ - the rugged individualist. Farmers think of themselves this way too; but the current version of individual responsibility does not encompass the dependency and interdependency of farmers and their links with the market.
Farmers are not being passive about their problems. A number of them devour farming magazines from both sides of the Tasman, listen to farming reports - read, argue, ponder, work longer and longer hours, and "still struggle to keep our heads above water. You are losing money by staying on the farm- even if you’re debt free. You are penalising your children by staying on the farm". At the same time, others remain true to the belief in the traditional farm family culture.
Some have lost the sense of challenge, and seek their satisfaction off-farm. Others say they are depressed, or their wives, friends, say they are, yet others keep hoping that next year things will be better. A few ‘bright sparks’ firmly believe that "this is just another downturn and things will come right". Yet a number of these people, too, have considered leaving farming. To continue farming, given the low rates of return is not a ‘rational’ commitment, particularly in comparison to the high level of capital investment. Decisions to stay in farming are made on other grounds.
The combination of societal change – such as in relationships between couples – and government-induced change since 1984 has produced the need for large cognitive adjustments, which in turn has led to high levels of stress and pressure on the farm families interviewed.
Norms: The norms - ‘taken for granted’ shoulds/should nots - have been thrown right out the window. Work hard, take care of the animals, the pasture; fertilise regularly, do the proper maintenance on fences, buildings; buy good stock, keep up with trends, prices, the market, and life will go swimmingly. As many people told us, that is no longer the situation, and hasn’t been for some time. We were told time and time again that for even the good farmers doing their best is ‘insufficient’. Instead people suggested "that if you had any brains you’d get out of farming - everything’s against you - the climate, the tax department, the people that buy the wool." and that "farming is so blasted irrelevant when you can have the bottom pulled out from under your feet".
The implications of ‘norm-lessness’ are as applicable in terms of family relationships as they are in farming. Divorce statistics demonstrate changes in the norm or belief ‘till death do us part’. How are changes in the Matrimonial Property Act 1976 going to influence farm marriages? What are the changing expectations of husbands when wives are working part time, and vice versa? Who cooks tea? Who cleans the toilet? Feeds the dogs? Why? What of five years out?
What do young people think about the future, for their parents, for them, and their children?
Several people told stories about specific young women choosing not to establish relationships with farmers, or farmers to be, because they did not see farming as having a ‘bright’ future. Nor did such women want to get ‘caught’ in traditional roles or want to forego their own career opportunities, professional development, nor put up with limited lifestyle options – though some of this is attributable to general societal change.
Anomie: anomie is a state of confused shock; and it could be argued that farm families, or more specifically, those in sheep and beef farming in the mid-Rangitikei, are in a state of anomie. For many farmers and their families in this area the norms and rules have been drastically changed, and no one has come up with a new set. Nor do people know who has the right, the responsibility, the time or the energy to define them. The messages that are being received loud and clear are that it is their responsibility - they are ‘in charge’ yet they are dependent on external factors. The catch line maybe individual responsibility, yet what happens ‘outside the farm gate’ is dependent on a host of factors, perceived to be mostly beyond their control. "I feel that I’m in control of what I’m doing, not receiving." And incomes are so iffy there is little one can do, people suggest, to rectify the situation.
There is little new in this situation. What is new, and causing angst, is the result of this anomie - the nearness of the threshold of sell, don’t sell, being forced to sell. For many farming has become a tightrope which has to be negotiated constantly. "To make money you have to spend money", and many haven’t got it. In addition there is a big increase in government-required administration. Farmers are told to complete this form for the Ministry of Labour, that for Statistics New Zealand, another set for OSH or IRD - the result in many instances is anger, frustration, confusion.
One of the key questions in the research is to do with ‘drivers’; who or what is ‘driving’ farmers, and farm families? That is part of the difficulty. No one knows. ‘The old ways’- the norms - no longer lead to success, and many are struggling to find a path that does. Two farmers did suggest what made a successful farm. One said: not having your family threatening to sell you up, the other knowing that "I could walk out of here tomorrow and it would keep functioning". Neither defined success in purely economic terms. A third person said: "all these new farmers - they’ve got no feeling for the land - they only bring the money in".
Contact for Enquiries
Rural Affairs Coordinator
Sector Performance Policy
MAF Policy
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
PO Box 2526
Wellington
NEW ZEALAND
Phone: +64 4 894 0675
Fax: +64 4 4 894 0745
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