Federated Farmers said the solutions follow a period of unprecedented regulatory change for rural communities. Photo: RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King
Federated Farmers has released its policy rewind wishlist for the next government after the election.
It has set out a dozen policy changes - including a rethink of the Emissions Trading Scheme's forestry rules and net-zero targets, scrapping the so-called ute tax, changing freshwater rules and changes to the Resource Management Act reform.
President Wayne Langford said the wishlist followed a period of unprecedented regulatory change for rural communities.
"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," Langford said.
"The end result is a long list of highly prescriptive and unworkable rules that tie us up in red tape and heap on unnecessary costs.
"We're just asking for the government to get the settings right so farmers have the confidence to invest, grow, and get on with what they do best - farming."
National launched its first tranche of 19 farm-focused policies in April, with more expected soon - along with ACT's.
Langford said he looked forward to discussing new policies with farmers at Fieldays at Mystery Creek next week.
Wayne Langford. Photo: RNZ/Carol Stiles
"We have had a few sneak peeks and so I'd encourage farmers to keep an eye on the papers next week, and I'll be up at Fieldays as well, so anyone that's there can pull me aside and tell me what you think about what's coming out.
"I think you'll see some of the policy announcements over the next three months before the election reflect the work they've been doing as well."
One of Federated Farmers' policy changes was an urgent review of methane targets - as this week, National's agriculture spokesperson Todd McClay labelled government-industry partnership He Waka Eke Noa "dead", while Wayne Langford calls it "sleepy".
"I am worried about where they think it will go - and just the level of engagement for such an important topic, right? So the farming sector would like to get this tidied up as much as anyone else, but right now we're being held up by effectively a quiet government that's not really giving us the answers."
Federated Farmers' 12 policy priorities for the next government:
- Support better use of technologies
- Unlock potential through water storage
- Allow young farmers to access their KiwiSaver
- Urgently review our methane targets
- Rethink our ETS forestry rules and net-zero target
- Scrap the ute tax and fix our infrastructure
- Give back control to local communities
- Fix our unworkable freshwater rules
- Get RMA reform right
- Simplify Significant Natural Areas
- Build the farmer workforce
- Show fiscal and monetary discipline
The full report can be found here.