Less Wellington in the way of farming
OPINION: For many farmers, the biggest regulatory challenge they face is the myriad things that the Resource Management Act throws up.
As expected, National’s Todd McClay is the new Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Trade. He will have a team of farmers assisting him in associate roles.
Former Federated Farmers president Andrew Hoggard is the Associate Minister of Agriculture overseeing animal welfare and skills and Associate Minister for the Environment. The first-term MP is also Minister for Biosecurity and Food Safety but will sit outside Cabinet.
Otago sheep and beef farmer Mark Patterson, NZ First, is Minister for Rural Communities and Associate Minister of Agriculture and will also sit outside Cabinet.
National’s Nicola Grigg, who was raised on the family farm at Mt Somers, is Associate Minister of Agriculture with a focus on horticulture. She’s also outside Cabinet and will be Minister of State for Trade and Minister for Women.
The three-part Coalition – made up of National, NZ First and ACT – announced their ministerial list today. Farmers will be watching with interest how the new Government deals with climate change on tackling on-farm emissions.
Prime Minister-elect Christpher Luxon says all the three leaders are committed to climate change.
"It is a major focus for us," he says.
He says the government is determined to get its "emission profiles" down but it will be different from the way the previous government did it.
