Farm Safety Improves Through 'Incremental Gain', Says Birkett
Improving health and safety is about incremental gain rather than a sudden decision, says Leeston farmer and Federated Farmers health and safety spokesman David Birkett.
Federated Farmers says its election platform, Backing Kiwi Farmers, is a practical blueprint for whichever parties form the next government.
President Wayne Langford says this isn't just another wish list of a collection of vague ideas.
"It's a clear roundup built by farmers to double farm productivity, cut costs, and improve environmental outcomes."
The wish-list was launched to coincide with National Fieldays, which gets underway in Hamilton on Wednesday.
The five-point plan focuses on: cutting the cost of farming, enabling technology and infrastructure, empowering community conservation, supporting young farmers, and fixing local government.
Cutting Costs and Improving Flexibility
To cut costs, farmers want ten new permitted activity standards for farming and incoming guarantee flexible land use in every region, to stop incentivising whole-farm conversions to permanent carbon forestry, use farm plans to replace resource consents and introduce no new taxes for farmers.
"These priorities are all about making sure farmers have the right rules and government backing to improve profitability and grow the economy," says Langford.
Each of those high-level themes has very specific and practical requests for whoever forms the next government.
"We've made our asks extremely clear, so politicians have absolutely no doubt what farmers are actually looking for this election," he says.
Building on Previous Election Commitments
Federated Farmers released a similar list of election priorities in 2023, which it says were geared towards restoring rural confidence.
Langford claims they got all 12 of those priorities across the line over the past three years.
"As a result, while costs are still high and some regulations are still a niggle, rural communities are feeling a lot more positive about the future.
"That's why we've shifted focus, launching 2026 election priorities designed to continue that momentum and unlock the full potential of rural New Zealand."
A Call for Political Engagement
Federated Farmers wants political parties to engage with its proposals over the coming months.
"This election platform is ultimately about backing the people who produce the food, fibre and products that keep this country moving," Langford says.
"Farmers are problem-solvers by nature. Give us the tools, geet out of the way, and we will deliver a stronger, more productive New Zealand for future generations."
