Farmers to decide fate of sheep + beef project

A $65 million project aimed at lifting the nation's income from sheep and beef farming will stand or fall on a farmer poll in five weeks.

The vote by sheep and beef farmers will be counted at Beef + Lamb New Zealand's annual meeting at Wanaka on March 8.

The project, which brings together leading members of the highly competitive meat industry, aims to improve farmers' business management, according to Beef + Lamb chairman Mike Petersen.

Beef + Lamb wants to fund its $19.7m share from a combination of existing funds and by drawing on $10m of Meat Board reserves.