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Federated Farmers national president Wayne Langford.
Farmer confidence has fallen despite the new Government repealing and rewriting some contentious regulations.
Federated Farmers' latest Farm Confidence survey of 1400 dairy, sheep, beef and arable farmers shows confidence remains stuck in historically low territory.
The survey results, released this week, shows debt, interest rates and banks causing the greatest concern to Kiwi farmers.
"It's incredibly frustrating to see farmer confidence is still sitting at these stubbornly low levels," Federated Farmers national president Wayne Langford says.
"Unfortunately, these survey results are just reflecting how farming families are truly feeling out there now.
"Farmers have really been doing it tough for some time now, with high interest rates, low commodity prices and sky-high input costs making it really hard to earn a living."
Langford says Federated Farmers were were encouraged by a slight lift in farmer confidence shown in its January 2024 survey - but things have since gone backwards.
"Restoring farmer confidence is a huge focus for Federated Farmers. It's what gets me out of bed each morning, feeling motivated to make a difference.
"We clearly have a big job ahead of us, but we're up for the challenge. We'll keep pushing hard to improve the lives of farming families across the country.
"The Government have done a lot of work repealing and rewriting some of the most unworkable regulations, but there's still so much more to be done."
But the six-monthly survey clearly shows it's not only regulation that's eroding farmer confidence, Langford says.
"There are a whole range of other issues that are also having an impact.
"These include concerns about banking, high interest rates, soft farmgate prices, the ability to find staff, and the general economic outlook for the country.
"Farmers will also be watching interest rates closely and desperately for a rate cut later this year to help relieve some of the pressure they're feeling."
Carried out in mid-July, the survey found more farmers consider the current economic climate to be 'bad' compared to January.
This is the second-worst result in the survey's history, with the lowest being July 2023.
Central Otago District Council (CODC) has voted against a plan to spread treated sewage sludge from Cromwell and Alexandra on farmland near Lauder, a decision Federated Farmers says reflects strong opposition from rural residents.
Federated Farmers has called on Central Otago District Council (CODC) to drop or vote down a plan to truck sludge from Alexandra and Cromwell to farmland near Lauder, warning it would compound an "outrageous" situation created by a separate council's decision weeks earlier.
Federated Farmers says new legislation replacing the Resource Management Act will cut red tape, unlock investment and help grow New Zealand's export-led economy, after the Planning Bill and Natural Environment Bill passed their third reading in Parliament yesterday.
Leading figures from the major political parties will be questioned on their primary sector policies at the Rural Issues Debate at Mystery Creek Events Centre, Hamilton, on 30 September.
Will the good times last? That's one of the key issues to come out of the latest Federated Farmers confidence survey.
When Northland leather worker Vernon Suckling started making horse saddles 50 years ago, quad bikes and side-by-side vehicles were unheard of.
Alliance Group has confirmed that eligible farmer-shareholders who supply and continue to back the business will receive up to $20 million later this year, following the strategic investment partnership with Dawn Meats.
With a general election under five weeks away, Rural News is asking major political parties about their policies and positions on key issues facing the primary sector. We will run their responses to each question over the next four weeks. The ACT Party and the Greens didn't respond in time.
The red meat sector is in great heart.
Dr Scott Champion, Foundation for Arable Research chief executive, says that everyone in the supply chain had a role to play in driving the sector's long-term success.
Entries opened on Monday, 5 October 2026 for the 2027 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards (NZDIA), which organisers describe as the nation's biggest celebration of excellence in the dairy sector.
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