End of war on farming, say farmers
Federated Farmers says changes announced to the Resource Management Act today mark the end of the war on farming.
Federated Farmers has set out what it calls the rural roadmap that it wants the next government to implement.
The farmer lobby's policy platform for the 2023 election highlights 12 key policy changes it wants put into action. Feds says for the past five years, farmers have been living through a period of unprecedented regulatory change.
"A swathe of new requirements for improving water quality, biodivdersity and the climate have taken a real toll on the wellbeing of our rural communities," Feds president Wayne Langford says.
"The intent of these regulations may have been good, but the reality of the execution and implementation has been nothing short of disastrous for our farmers. The end result is a long list of highly prescriptive and unworkable rules that ties us up in red tape and heap on unnecessary costs."
Langford says NZ farmers have a great story to tell when it comes to their economic contribution - such as the jobs they create and the work do to improve environmental outcomes."
But he points out that current farmer confidence is at record lows and his organisation is determined to turn this around by bringing real solutions to the table.
"This election we're being very clear about what needs to be done to restore farmer confidence, support thriving rural communities, improve environmental outcomes and unlock the potential of our primary sector," Langford says.
"The best thing about our policy priorities is that they won't cost the taxpayer a dollar. We're just asking for the new government to get the settings right, so farmers have the confidence to invest, grow, and get on with what they do best - farming."
Feds policy priorities for the new government are:
The country’s 4200 commercial fruit and vegetable growers will vote from May 14 on a new HortNZ levy.
Meat processor Alliance Group is asking farmer shareholders to inject more capital in order to remain a 100% co-operative.
A vet is calling for all animals to be vaccinated against a new strain of leptospirosis (lepto) discovered on New Zealand dairy farms in recent years.
Dairy
Rural banker Rabobank is partnering with Food Rescue Kitchen on a new TV series which airs this weekend that aims to shine a light on the real and growing issues of food waste, food poverty and social isolation in New Zealand.
Telco infrastructure provider Chorus says that it believes all Kiwis – particularly those in the rural areas – need access to high-speed, reliable broadband.
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