National announces farming policy package

The party’s agriculture spokesperson Todd McClay and environment spokesperson Scott Simpson claim the policy will improve access to workers, restore local decision-making, and protect food production.

“New Zealand farmers are the world’s best and among the carbon efficient,” McClay says.

“They also help New Zealand pay its way in the world with dairy, meat, wool and horticulture being New Zealand’s largest export earners,” he says.

He says the Getting back to farming package makes 19 changes to rules and regulations.

Simpson says the policy is about targeted rules with clear environmental limits so farmers can “work with confidence”.

“We know shutting down some of the world’s most carbon efficient farmers only sends production to less efficient farms overseas and could raise global emissions,” he says.

The policy introduces what the party calls a ‘2-for-1’ rule, saying that for every new regulation that central or local government wants to introduce on the rural sector they must take away two.

They would also require local and central government to assess the costs of all new rules on the rural sector and publish the findings.

The policy would also see the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) worker cap doubled over five years to 38,000; ban foreign direct investment for the purpose of converting farms to forestry, and scrap the Government’s Clean Car policies.

National Party leader Christopher Luxon says the Government has used regulation to declare war on farmers.

“National will end that war by cutting red tape.

“New Zealand has the worst current account deficit in the developed world. If we don’t earn more from overseas, there will be consequences – like lower wages and less money to spend on the public services we all want and need,” he says.

“National’s Getting back to Farming package will make regulation fit for purpose.

“I want world-class regulation for our world-class farmers. Regulation has a role to play, but rules should avoid prescription, target outcomes, minimise compliance, and be clear to provide certainty.”