Election 2026: Former Federated Farmers President Named National Party Candidate
Katie Milne, former Federated Farmers president, has been announced as the National Party’s candidate for the West Coast-Tasman electorate.
Her selection follows current National MP Maureen Pugh’s decision to retire.
Labour MP Damien O’Connor, who previously held the seat, will also not be standing.
Milne is a fifth-generation family farmer from the West Coast and was the first woman to be elected president of Federated Farmers – serving from 2017 to 2020 in that role. Her career in farmer politics began in 1991 and she once told Rural News her initial role was in the Feds dairy section, which she took on to help others understand why farmers do what they do and to correct a lot of misconceptions about the sector.
She also called out some of the rules farmers were subjected to, saying certain individuals had no idea of the consequences of their decisions at a practical level on farm.
In 2015 Milne was named Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year and later served on the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee, chaired the West Coast TB Free Committee and was a member of the Farmer Mental Wellness Strategy Group and helped found the Lake Brunner Community Catchment Care Group.
Milne and her partner Ian own a dairy farm near Lake Brunner southeast of Greymouth. She says as a lifetime advocate for farming, she applauds the current government for its support for farming, including removing red tape and signing major trade deals.
“As a fifth-generation coaster, I know that our region can be more productive, with more jobs and higher wages, which is why I am standing for National,” she says.
