Election 2026: How Parties Would Lift the Arable Sector
As part of its Election 2026 coverage, Rural News asked political parties how they would help pull the arable sector out of the doldrums. Here's what they said:
OPINION: An email from Fed Farmers' president Andrew Hoggard to Ag Minister Damien O'Connor saying some unkind things about the Groundswell movement - before its big countrywide protest in July - was recently released to a media outfit under an Official Information Act (OIA) request.
This has put Feds in a bad light and helped drive a wedge between it and Groundswell.
The Hound suggests this was a deliberate, Machiavellian move by O'Connor to foster ag sector infighting and take the heat off his government's imposition of numerous anti-farming regulations.
It turns out that O'Connor (and PM Ardern) refused to release other communications about Groundswell in the same OIA request, "to maintain the effective conduct of public affairs through the free and frank expression of opinions by or between or to Ministers of the Crown or members of an organisation..."
Farmers have until the end of this week to help shape DairyNZ’s future focus.
Wayne McNee, chief executive of AgriZeroNZ, has resigned and will leave the organisation on 15 January 2027.
The New Zealand dairy sector set a record in the 2025/26 season, producing more than two billion kilograms of milksolids for the first time.
Milk powder prices are continuing their merry run, firming up a potential $10/kgMS farmgate price this season.
Teachers are welcoming the outgoing Government’s U-turn allowing agriculture and horticultural science to remain a standalone Year 11 subject.
Outgoing ACT MP and dairy farmer Mark Cameron says Saturday’s election result reflects voters deeply impacted by the cost of living.

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