Feds calls for 10 national farming standards

Federated Farmers is calling on political parties to follow ACT's lead in committing to national standards that would make life easier for farmers and cut the cost of food.

ACT Agriculture spokesperson Andrew Hoggard last night announced a new policy to set initial national standards for core farming activities.

It's exactly the kind of commonsense, red-tape-cutting change farmers have been crying out for, says Federated Farmers president Colin Hurst.

If the next Government wants to cut the cost of putting food on the table, then remove some of the red tape tying up the productive sector, Colin Hurst says.

"One of the top priorities in our election platform this year is for the new government - whoever that ends up being - to set 10 national standards to cut the cost of food and farming.

"These standards would establish consistent rules for common farming activities, removing the need for expensive, time-consuming consent processes in many situations.

"It's absolutely crazy how hard it can be do something routine like building a new pond, clearing a drain, or putting in some solar panels.

"What's even more baffling is that the rules can vary significantly between councils.

"We have some farmers operating across multiple regions who often face a patchwork of different requirements depending on the council in charge.

"Having national standards would get rid of that problem by providing uniformity, while keeping environmental safeguards in place."

Hoggard says ACT will prioritise a national standard for the methodology councils use to set freshwater limits.

He also says ACT agrees with Federated Farmers' call for national standards for 10 everyday jobs on the farm: farm plans, vegetable growing, on-farm water storage, gravel extraction, drain maintenance, effluent management, fertiliser application, farm quarries, wetland restoration, and small and medium solar.

Hurst says cutting unnecessary regulatory costs would benefit all Kiwis, not just farmers.

"Food prices are causing huge pain for families at the supermarket checkout every week.

"Federated Farmers believes one of the most effective ways the next Government can reduce costs across the food production chain is by cutting unnecessary red tape.

"Our farmers produce some of the highest-quality food in the world, but they often find themselves buried under layers of regulation that add cost and make it harder to grow the food our communities need.

"That cost then flows all the way through the supply chain to our supermarket shelves."

At the end of the day, what this country needs is a more efficient farming sector to help keep food affordable, Hurst says.

"If politicians are actually serious about tackling the cost of living for all Kiwis, they need to look closely at the rules driving up costs throughout the food production system.

"Our call to all the political parties is to follow ACT's lead by committing to these 10 national permitted activity standards.

"We're challenging whichever parties form the next Government to have those standards in place within their first year in office.

"New Zealand has the land, climate, expertise and innovation to hold its place as one of the world's leading food producers.

"What we need now is a regulatory system that supports that success rather than getting in its way."