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FEDERATED FARMERS says it welcomes exemption of farm buildings from the Building (Earthquake-prone Buildings) Amendment Bill but remains concerned about the bill's implications for rural service towns.
"We believe there needs to be a lot more work to model the effect of an earthquake on the types of streetscape found in provincial centres," says new Feds' vice president, Anders Crofoot.
"Even then there needs to be a social and economic decision to balance a pure safety approach with a degree of pragmatism."
A focus on parapets, verandahs and removing at-risk items could greatly boost safety with minimal social and financial cost, he suggests.
"It is hard to disagree with the Property Council of New Zealand, which believes the bill could work, but only if earthquake strengthening is made tax deductible, qualifying for depreciation."
Feds says with an estimated 250,000 farm buildings in New Zealand, just assessing against earthquake standards could cost farmers collectively $170 million.
OPINION: Bouquets this week from the old mutt for Fed Farmers and Groundswell for continuing to resist the proposed Gore District plan and its intention to apply costly "cultural values" across the district and a raft of land classifications that are unworkable and counterproductive.
A verbal stoush has broken out between Federated Farmers and a new group that claims to be fighting against cheaper imports that undermine NZ farmers.
Taupiri farmer Chris Woolerton is tipped to take over as Federated Farmers Waikato president from next week.
Farmers want more direct, accurate information about both fuel and fertiliser supply.
Federated Farmers is celebrating following the Government's announcement that young farmers will be able to use their KiwiSaver funds to buy their first home or farm.
With mounting pressure on Australian farmers, driven by the increasingly fluid global uncertainty, the organisers of 'FutureAg powered by Agritechnica' have postponed the Melbourne event.
Tickets have officially gone on sale for Fieldays 2026, marking less than 50 days until the event.
A recent Beef + Lamb New Zealand ‘Farming for Profit’ field day drew about 100 people keen to hear about the policies that drove performance at Erewhon Station, located on the Taihape to Napier Road.
The New Zealand International Business Forum (NZIBF) has welcomed the Labour Party's support for the New Zealand-India Free Trade Agreement.
Wallaby control efforts in Canterbury have received a major boost, with Canterbury Regional Council releasing $2 million from its Pest Management Reserve.
Finding and supporting ‘champion farmers’ – or top-quality farmers - is one of best ways of getting other farmers to take the appropriate measures to mitigate environmental issues, according to a leading Irish scientist Dr Mary Ryan.
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