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Federated Farmers President Wayne Langford
Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford says the Coalition Government’s first budget unveiled yesterday has no frills or surprises.
“Just like the average farmer’s budget this season, the Government doesn’t have a lot of spare cash laying around to spend on nice-to-haves and optional extras,” notes Langford.
He says at an operational level, he was relieved to see all the non-negotiables were still there, with continued funding for things like frontline biosecurity, catchment groups and cyclone recovery.
“Unfortunately, that’s as far as the money stretched.
“I think it would be fair to say that when farmers are doing well, the New Zealand economy seems to do pretty well too – but times are tough. Money has been tight for most farming families for a while now, and it looks like that economic reality is starting to hit home for the rest of the country.”
Langford reiterated his earlier comments to media that that the road to New Zealand’s economic success”s isn’t paved with more red tape, regulation and compliance costs”.
“The road to our economic success is paved with more milk, meat, fruit and grain.
“We need to be unshackling the potential of our productive sectors, and those who get out of bed each morning to milk cows, shift cattle, harvest crops and pick fruit. Those are the people who create jobs and earn an income for our country that pays for all those other things like schools, roads and hospitals.
“Farmers aren’t looking for a handout. We just want the Government to continue to cut the unnecessary red tape and compliance costs that have been bogging us down for too long.”
OPINION: While we're on the topic of lumberjacks, Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard has no doubt used a chainsaw hundreds of times, but your old mate reckons he would’ve still been sweating on getting it right when cutting down a pine in front of the cameras, as he did above Queenstown during a recent pre-Budget announcement around extra funding for wilding pine control efforts.
Wilding pines are the wrong tree in the wrong place, and they need to go, says Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard.
Federated Farmers says the Government’s latest investment in road resilience is a positive step toward protecting rural communities and freight routes from increasing severe weather events.
Animal welfare improvements as well as reduced costs for dairy farmers are at the heart of a new move which could help cut back on the waste of unused vet drugs.
Federated Farmers has been urged to consider establishing a policy on artificial intelligence (AI).
Massey University says its stand at the Fieldays will showcase regenerative science and “circular bioeconomy innovation supporting more sustainable and resilient farming systems”.
Fonterra is strengthening its foodservice presence in China with the launch of a new cream for professional bakeries at Bakery China 2026 in Shanghai.
OPINION: The coalition Government’s plan to make about 9000 public servants redundant looms as a major election issue
From last week, the Industrial Hemp Regulations 2006 have been revoked.
The Rural Support Trust is hosting a series of community wellbeing events featuring former NZSAS soldier and Victoria Cross recipient Willie Apiata.
Government plans to reduce the regulations relating to drones that farmers use on their own properties has drawn a mixed reaction from commercial drone operators.
