Six Priorities to Unlock Growth

But farmers are looking for certainty. They need policy that rewards investment, encourages innovation and lets them get on with producing world-class food.

The challenges is to create more value while continuing to reduce the sector's environmental footprint.

To do that we need to ensure the sector continues to create value for New Zealand in a world shaped by environmental limits, climate pressures, changing consumer expectations, and increasing global competition.

Future success won't come from just producing more. It will come from producing more value.

The next government has an opportunity to build on the progress farmers have already made. Getting policy settings right, now, will provide the confidence to invest, adopt new technology and continue creating value for New Zealand. Delaying action risks slowing that progress.

Dairy farmers have spent years investing in environmental improvements, animal welfare, better infrastructure, planting, effluent systems, genetics and more resilient farm systems.

That investment has lifted standards across the sector and provides a strong foundation for the next phase of improvement.

Farmers need government to be a durable and practical partner, providing policy that gives them confidence to invest, encourages improvement and recognises dairy's critical contribution to New Zealand.

The document sets out six practical priorities: resource management and freshwater, biosecurity, workforce, science and data, climate and infrastructure, and animal welfare.

DairyNZ is ready to work with the next government to deliver practical policy that backs farmers, strengthens regional New Zealand, and keeps dairy contributing to our country's success.

Together, we can ensure dairy continues to deliver for New Zealand for generations to come.

DairyNZ is calling on the next government to:

• Get our resource management and freshwater systems right.
• Build and fund a strong biosecurity system.
• Strengthen the dairy workforce.
• Boost science funding and accelerate technology update.
• Promote low-emissions technology and invest in rural infrastructure.
• Back strong animal welfare rules.

Tracy Brown is DairyNZ chair