Election 2026: Rural Lobby Groups Challenge Parties on Agriculture Policy
Three farmer lobby groups are applying the blowtorch to political parties on key issues facing the primary sector ahead of the general elections.
In a something of a shock result, outspoken Otago sheep farmer Jane Smith topped a three-way battle for Ravensdown’s South Island board seat, beating sitting director Nicky Hyslop and agribusiness leader Rebecca Keoghan. Smith received over 36 million weighted votes, compared to 21m for Hyslop and nearly 5m for Keoghan.
The result will be a morale booster for MSA and shows that farmer support for their cause is strong. Buoyed by the result, MSA may be eying seats on Beef + Lamb NZ and other farmer-based organisations.
