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There's less than three months to go before the local body elections.
OPINION: In less than three months New Zealanders will vote in the local government election.
With sweeping changes facing local government, and the very existence of some councils under threat, farmers are being urged to step up their interest in the election campaign this year.
Federated Farmers has released its local government election platform. Unsurprisingly the Three Waters juggernaut features prominently.
The rural roading network is also a crucial and often contentious area for farmers and their councils. Roading is by far the most important council activity for the farming community, and poor and deteriorating roads are one of the main concerns farmers have with the performance of their councils.
Council rating is another big issue for farmers.
Land and capital value rates tend to allocate a major share of the cost of council activities and services to a minor subset of the population - the owners of higher value property.
The Feds say that its advocacy on behalf of farmers shows rates regularly above $20,000 for average farming units, many on poor local roads or state highways, and some distance from many rates funded facilities and services.
This situation continues to worsen and is the biggest of all the stumbling blocks in terms of a positive relationship between councils and their farming communities.
Farmers believe there are, however, effective and positive ways that the system of property value rates can be adjusted locally to balance the contributions made by farmers compared to other ratepayers.
On Three Waters, Federated Farmers accepts the need for change to the way Three Waters infrastructure and services are delivered but remain unconvinced that the Government's compulsory mega model is the way to go. There is too much uncertainty and too many unanswered question.
So, farmers are calling for rural leaders with commitment, practical common sense and energy to consider standing for election.
It also wants all rural residents to put searching questions to those who would represent them in local government.
The local Government election on October 8 provides rural dwellers a chance to be daring.
Talk up core services, talk down wasteful, feel-good expenditure and big rates increases, and support farmers in these challenging times.
As the Feds say, fight for the right of local communities, not Wellington, to decide on how their local democracy functions.
Academic Dr Mike Joy and his employer, Victoria University of Wellington have apologised for his comments suggesting that dairy industry CEOs should be hanged for contributing towards nitrate poisoning of waterways.
A comment by outspoken academic Dr Mike Joy suggesting that dairy industry leaders should be hanged for nitrate contamination of drinking/groundwater has enraged farmers.
Federated Farmers says the final report into banking competition is a significant step forward for rural New Zealand - and a vindication of the farming sector's concern.
Farmer lobby group Federated Farmers has announced it is supporting a new Member’s Bill which it says could bring clarity to New Zealand farmers and save millions in legal costs.
Federated Farmers says climate protest group Greenpeace is manufacturing outrage and attempting to scare New Zealanders with headlines that have no basis in science.
According to the most recent Rabobank Rural Confidence Survey, farmer confidence has inched higher, reaching its second highest reading in the last decade.
From 1 October, new livestock movement restrictions will be introduced in parts of Central Otago dealing with infected possums spreading bovine TB to livestock.
Phoebe Scherer, a technical manager from the Bay of Plenty, has won the 2025 Young Grower of the Year national title.
The Fencing Contractors Association of New Zealand (FCANZ) celebrated the best of the best at the 2025 Fencing Industry Awards, providing the opportunity to honour both rising talent and industry stalwarts.
Award-winning boutique cheese company, Cranky Goat Ltd has gone into voluntary liquidation.
As an independent review of the National Pest Management Plan for TB finds the goal of complete eradication by 2055 is still valide, feedback is being sought on how to finish the job.
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