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.
OPINION: When Groundswell showed up in the 'advocacy hub' at Fieldays alongside the same groups that brought you He Waka Eke Noa, the Hound feared the ginger group had been brought into the woke fold and given the old rubber ring.
Fear not though, they seem to have their mojo intact, raising the alarm about the Gore District Plan, now out for consultation, which proposes to classify the entire Gore District under part of Section 6 of the RMA.
In this case, iwi could claim the entire district as 'sites of significance' - a massive overreach.
Groundswell notes this might sound like an issue in just one part of the country, "but this sort of thing is being pushed across the country and the stakes are enormous. Your council could, and quite possibly will, be next".
The Government has announced changes to stock exclusion regulations which it claims will cut unnecessary costs and inflexible rules while maintaining environmental protections.
Technology and the use of artificial intelligence are increasingly part of life, both on the farm and off it.
Ashleigh Gordon and Leilani Lobb have been named as the two finalists for Dairy Women's Network's (DWN) 2026 Regional Leader of the Year Award.
Animal and Plant Health New Zealand (APHANZ) says the approval of a new fungicide seed treatment is a positive, however growers will be hoping the final approval is completed ahead of the spring season.
North Canterbury farmer Adam Williamson has been appointed DairyNZ's associate director for 2026-27.
Fonterra farmers are set for a multi-billion-dollar payout this week.