It’s been an incredible couple of days at Fieldays – connecting with farmers, growers, foresters and fishers celebrating their hard work that is driving our economic recovery.
From showcasing Kiwi innovation to sharing our vision for a thriving rural economy, Fieldays has been a powerful reminder of what makes our country special.
We were proud to share the latest Situation and Outlook for Primary Industries (SOPI) report – and the news is worth celebrating. Food and fibre exports are on track to surpass $60 billion for the first time ever. That’s not just a record – it’s a major boost to jobs and regional communities.
National is the party backing farmers, growing the sector, removing barriers and getting Wellington out of farming so we can achieve the goal of doubling exports in ten years.
We’re:
- Opening new markets through upgraded trade deals and fresh negotiations with key partners like India and the Gulf region.
- Cutting red tape and fixing unworkable rules, including in freshwater, winter grazing, and the RMA.
- Investing in smart, on-farm innovation to drive resilience and productivity.
- Expanding rural resilience and wellbeing support – because when rural New Zealand is strong, all of New Zealand is strong.
We’re also restoring balance – stopping full farm-to-forestry conversions on our most productive food producing land and making sure tools like the ETS don’t undermine rural livelihoods.
And we’re proudly backing our wool sector too – bringing wool carpets back to state homes and championing natural, sustainable Kiwi-made products.
Our farmers and growers are the best in the world and driving our economy.
National is backing the rural sector with action – because when our farmers do well, all of New Zealand does well.
Kind regards,
Hon Todd McClay
