WITH SKILFUL POCKET digging and arm bending the meeting's facilitators persuaded forest owners and wood processors to fund a comprehensive programme on a shared cost basis, with the Government contributing 3 dollar for every dollar the industry put forward - some NZ 1.8 million dollar over the first three years of the programme. The importance of this agreement can only be appreciated by understanding its historical background. Ever since the sale of the state forests began in 1989 the changing profile of forest ownership in New Zealand has resulted in a significant shift in membership of the more influential forest industry associations such as the Forest Owners Association and the Forest Industry Council. This has repeatedly destabilised the funding of some urgently required industry initiatives. Fortunately, during the first 10 years of this transition period, the new owners, both Kiwi and foreign, did pick up some of the responsibilities required to lead the industry. The associations carried on with little change to their objectives and adequate funding was available for normal business and new projects such as generic promotion and market development.
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