Time to flip the levy-payer industry-good body model
OPINION: Industry good organisations have long played a key role in supporting New Zealand’s primary industries.
Fruit and vegetable growers say the regional fuel tax legislation, as it stands, is likely to add costs for consumer.
Horticulture New Zealand spoke to the Finance and Expenditure Select Committee about its written submission on the Land Transport Management (Regional Fuel Tax) Amendment Bill, that is endorsed and supported by a further 18 organisations.
"While in principle, we agree with measures to reduce road congestion in Auckland, we believe there are unintended consequences of the Bill as it stands; these could include increases to the prices of healthy, fresh fruit and vegetables," Horticulture New Zealand chief executive Mike Chapman says.
"With the number of health issues related to diet in New Zealand, we believe it is important to not add unnecessary compliance costs that ultimately, increase healthy food prices."
HortNZ wants the Bill be amended to provide an exemption from Regional Fuel Tax (RFT) for vehicles that are not used in the transport infrastructure, that is, off-road vehicles and machinery used in horticulture. It asks that there be an amendment to the Bill to provide for the creation of a simple and efficient mechanism to manage rebates for off-road, on-farm vehicles, with the actual details being set out in subordinate legislation.
"The reality is, these vehicles do not use the road system and therefore, should not be taxed to pay for the roads they do not use," Chapman says.
"Our growers expect RFT compliance to be complicated and burdensome and therefore, costly. Any prudent business passes on costs it cannot recover to the end consumer and that, in turn, will affect the prices of fruit and vegetables. We do not believe sufficient regard has been given to equity and fairness in regard to compliance and administration costs for horticulture producers.
"Auckland-based growers will be disadvantaged if they have to absorb RFT costs for off-road vehicles and machinery and growers in other parts of New Zealand do not.
Newly elected Federated Farmers meat and wool group chair Richard Dawkins says he will continue the great work done his predecessor Toby Williams.
Hosted by ginger dynamo Te Radar, the Fieldays Innovation Award Winners Event put the spotlight on the agricultural industry's most promising ideas.
According to DairyNZ's latest Econ Tracker update, there has been a rise in the forecast breakeven milk price for the 2025/26 season.
Despite the rain and a liberal coating of mud, engines roared, and the 50th Fieldays Tractor Pull Competition drew crowds of spectators across the four days of the annual event.
Nationwide rural wellbeing programme, Farmstrong recently celebrated its tenth birthday at Fieldays with an event attended by ambassador Sam Whitelock, Farmers Mutual Group (FMG), Farmstrong partners, and government Ministers.
Six industry organisations, including DairyNZ and the Dairy Companies Association (DCANZ) have signed an agreement with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) to prepare the country for a potential foot and mouth outbreak.
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