increase font size
Federated Farmers dairy section chair Richard McIntyre.
Federated Farmers is calling on the Government to deliver on its pre-election promise to change the KiwiSaver rules to help young farmers get their foot on the farming ladder.
Ahead of the 2023 election, the National Party stated that it would allow young farmers to use their KiwiSaver to buy their first home, farm, herd or flock if elected.
Federated Farmers dairy chair Richard McIntyre says that 18 months since the election, there has been no action on that promise.
“The announcement was incredibly popular, particularly among the next generation of farmers, but also with older farmers who are looking for succession pathways,” McIntyre says.
He says that many people are awaiting those changes, “so it’s important they follow through and deliver on their promise”.
While National MP Suze Redmayne has submitted a Members’ Bill which would address some of the issues young farmers face, McIntyre says this is not enough.
“It’s great that Suze has put forward a bill - but it’s one of more than 70 others in the Members’ Ballot. It’s effectively a raffle and the bill may never be drawn,” he says.
He says that it “doesn’t even come close” to the Government delivering on its promise.
“It needs to be picked up as a Government Bill,” he says.
"To make that happen, we need the Minister of Agriculture, and all rural MPs, to really get in behind farmers and push hard on this issue. They should be championing the cause."
McIntyre claims that young farmers are being held back by outdated rules that are not reflective of the realities of farm ownership or rural employment.
“These rules are holding young farmers back years in their career progression as they scrimp and save every dollar to get on the ladder, particularly for sharemilkers and contract milkers,” he says.
He says that while KiwiSaver is designed to help New Zealanders to save for their retirement, however, for young farmers, owning a farm, herd or flock will set them up for their later years.
“These are ambitious young people who are tyring to build a future in farming, who just need the Government to get out of their way and allow them to access their own savings to invest in their future,” McIntyre says.
"A change in policy would give them a tangible pathway towards ownership and investment in agriculture - something the next generation of farmers desperately needs to see."
McIntyre says changing the rules would help level the playing field for young farmers and encourage greater use of KiwiSaver.
"A lot of young people in towns get into KiwiSaver because they know they can use it as a great way to build a deposit for their first house. "In their early years, that’s effectively what they’re doing - not saving for their retirement.
"On the other hand, so many young farmers don’t use KiwiSaver because they know they’re not allowed to access that for their first home, farm, herd, or flock.
"They won’t be able to use those savings until their retirement, whereas there are really important things they need to invest in early in their careers, long before retirement age.
"It’s an unfair playing field and young farmers are missing out on a key step towards growing their long-term wealth."
OPINION: Recent media commentary from Southland Federated Farmers has raised concerns among our rural communities, particularly around Environment Southland’s approach to winter grazing inspections and nitrogen reporting. But let’s be clear, much of what’s been said simply doesn’t reflect reality.
OPINION: Environment Canterbury's (ECan) decision recently to declare a so-called “nitrate emergency” is laughable.
A shameless political stunt is how Federated Farmers is describing the Canterbury Regional Council decision to declare “a nitrate emergency” on the back of its latest annual groundwater quality survey.
Federated Farmers say Environment Canterbury's decision to declare a 'nitrate emergency' is a shameless political stunt that won't help anyone.
Farmers want the Government to scrap controversial freshwater rules that "put river spirits and ideology ahead of practical water use", says Federated Farmers board member Mark Hooper.
A major feature of the Ashburton A&P Show, to be held on October 31 and November 1, will be the annual trans-Tasman Sheep Dog Trial test match, with the best heading dogs from both sides of the Tasman going head-to-head in two teams of four.
Fewer bobby calves are heading to the works this season, as more dairy farmers recognise the value of rearing calves for beef.
The key to a dairy system that generates high profit with a low emissions intensity is using low footprint feed, says Fonterra program manager on-farm excellence, Louise Cook.
Rural retailer Farmlands has reported a return to profitability, something the co-operative says shows clear progress in the second year of its five-year strategy.
According to a new report, the Safer Rides initiative, which offered farmers heavily discounted crush protection devices (CPDs) for quad bikes, has made a significant impact in raising awareness and action around farm vehicle safety.
OPINION: In the past weeks, much has been said and written about one of New Zealand's greatest prime ministers, James Brendan Bolger, who died just a few months after his 90th birthday.
OPINION: The Greens have taken the high moral ground on the Palestine issue and been leading political agitators in related…
One of the most galling aspects of the tariffs whacked on our farm exports to the US is the fact…
