Gisborne/ Wairoa Federated Farmers

11/06/2026

Ep 91 out now!

What do farmers need from the next government? Federated Farmers has a clear plan.

Wayne Langford outlines a new five-point plan for the next government to unleash the potential of New Zealand farming.

On Spotify: https://bit.ly/4upcEtt
On Apple: https://bit.ly/3Q7GDs3

10/06/2026

🚜 Big conversations. Different perspectives.

The Rural Advocacy Hub returns today with politicians from across Parliament discussing the issues affecting farmers, growers, and rural communities.

🕙 Hon Shane Jones
🕥 Chlöe Swarbrick
🕚 Hon Jo Luxton
🕦 Steve Abel
🕜 Hon Matt Doocey
🕑 Scott Willis
🕝 Rt Hon Chris Hipkins

Come along, ask questions, and hear directly from the people helping shape New Zealand's future.

10/06/2026

Three men with a huge passion for the rural sector are the inaugural recipients of Lifetime Achievement awards as part of the Federated Farmers Gisborne/Wairoa Hill Country Farmer of the Year event.

Awards were presented to John Moroney, Kerry Hudson, and Graham Johnson at the Farmer of the Year event held at Motu.

The awards recognised “people who over many years of service have made a significant contribution to the growth of the region”, Peter Andrew, of AgFirst Gisborne, said.

“They have shown a deep passion for farming and hold immense mana in the farming community. It is great to see such worthy recipients being recognised with these inaugural awards.”

Each of them received a greenstone and rimu trophy - symbolising respect, longevity and strength.

The award judges were Bernard Harnett, Rob Newman and Charlie Seymour, all previous winners in the Farmer of the Year.

All three had a difficult job selecting the recipients from more than 25 nominations.

Andrew said Moroney’s award recognised his deep passion for this district.

“His modesty and humility are cornerstones.”

Harnett introduced and presented the award to Moroney.

“John made a big contribution to Federated Farmers over many years with no expectation of reward, and he also contributed heavily to the Rural Support Trust that supported a lot of farming families in hard times.

“He is a humble man who commands great respect in the whole farming community.”

Andrew praised Hudson for his years of hard work and ethical approach.

“He has a deep passion for our farming district and erosion control. Kerry has worked closely with farmers to find practical solutions, often going beyond the call of duty. He’s a people person, who gets things done.”

Seymour presented the award.

“Kerry started with GDC [Gisborne District Council] in 1982 and in 2024 he got the NZ Order of Merit. He’s highly respected and a great person to work with, down-to-earth, practical and he understands farm situations,” Seymour said.

“Kerry has a great ‘can do, get it done’ attitude, going so far as planting poles with his sons and other young ones in the weekends. He has been called the hero of the soils.”

Graham Johnson also had a deep passion for farming in Tairāwhiti, said Andrew, describing him as “a true leader in our district who has impacted over both Māori and corporate roles”.

“As chairman of the Te Taumata group, he and that group successfully helped to improve productivity over large Māori entities. He’s a leader who could also build a team who trusts his opinion and is happy to defend it.”

Rob Hayes, of AgFirst, said it was a pleasure to present the award to Johnson.

“Graham is a people person and can relate to the man on the street through to those in the board room. He has shown true leadership through being chairperson on boards such as Te Taumata and Marotiri beef and lamb monitor farm,” Hayes said.

“He has also played key role on other boards such as Farmlands, Trust Bank and Tauwhareparae Farms.

“Graham has very strong principles and would never take personal advantage of any of his roles.”

Andrew said the Lifetime Achievement recognition would be an integral part of the biennial Farmer of the Year competition.

The awards were supported by Farmer of the Year core sponsors AgFirst Gisborne, Ravensdown, Rabobank, Affco and Graham and Dobson.

Inaugural recipients have made 'a significant contribution to the growth of the region'

09/06/2026

🚜 Heading to Fieldays today? The Rural Advocacy Hub has a packed line-up of speakers discussing the issues shaping the future of farming and rural New Zealand.
🕤 Hon Todd McClay
🕚 Hon Andrew Hoggard
🕦 Hon Mark Patterson
🕑 Hon Mike Butterick
🕝 Rt Hon Christopher Luxon
Come along and be part of the conversation.

09/06/2026

📍Heading to Fieldays? Make sure you stop by the Rural Advocacy Hub at Site D70 in the Gallagher Building.

We've brought together a range of organisations working to support, represent, and advocate for rural New Zealand under one roof.

Come and meet the people working everyday to ensure rural voices are heard.

See you at D70 🚜

08/06/2026

Federated Farmers Gisborne/Wairoa provincial president Charlie Reynolds says “the Feds” are taking a “strong interest” in possible local government reforms impacting on Wairoa.

He believes Gisborne could face other associated issues.

The Government’s reform proposal has caused considerable debate up and down the country.

“The Government proposes to get rid of regional councils by 2028 and move towards fewer larger unitary councils,” Reynolds said.

“Gisborne District Council is a unitary council already, meaning it carries out the tasks of both a regional and district council,” he said.

“While Gisborne is very unlikely to be involved in any amalgamation talks, the same cannot be said of Wairoa District Council.

“We’ll be taking a strong interest in negotiations over potential Hawke’s Bay council mergers to make sure the voices and needs of farming families and rural communities in Wairoa aren’t sidelined in these negotiations,” he said.

“We all need to stay interested because one reason the Government gives for local government reorganisation is that councils need to be big enough to handle new planning systems.”

Reynolds said Gisborne’s district plan – the local rulebook for resource consents and land use regulation – would disappear.

“The Government wants the more-than-100 current district and regional plans around New Zealand replaced by 17 regional, 30-year spatial plans.

“Gisborne needs to be able to fight its corner for the kinds of rules our region’s residents would want to see in a new regional spatial plan.

“Also, the Government says it’s easier to negotiate ‘regional deals’ with bigger councils.

“With councils in other areas uniting and lifting their lobbying power, Gisborne is going to have to work harder and speak louder to gain Government attention and funding.

“Gisborne already has problems getting the Government and NZTA [NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi] to come up with long-term solutions for our fragile highway networks and with persuading the Government to invest in the plan to retire up to 100,000 hectares of our most erosion-prone land.”

In his latest regional update, Reynolds points to feedback Federated Farmers had given Gisborne District Council on its proposed fees and charges for 2026-27, particularly a new $5000 fee for forestry consenting.

“We’ve agreed that a separate fee category for forestry consents is a good idea because the National Environmental Standard – Commercial Forestry definition for commercial forestry starts at one hectare.

“However, we’re concerned that a small farm forestry block will be charged the same application fee as a nationwide commercial forestry company that operates hundreds of hectares.

“For many farmers, forestry is a minor or complementary land use on their property. The $5000 fee could create a barrier to planting forestry trees that you intend to harvest for land stabilisation, diversification or climate resilience.

“It is also unlikely that farm forestry will require the same level of council scrutiny as a large commercial forest over activities that need resource consent. Farm forestry is smaller in scale and doesn’t have continuous harvesting/planting.

“We’ve asked the council to adopt a scaled approach, with a lower application fee for small-scale farm forestry activities.”

Reynolds said Federated Farmers has suggested three fee categories – less than 50ha to account for farm forestry; between 50ha and 200ha to align with the environmental science monitoring categories; and over 200ha.

Gisborne farmer finalist for Rural Woman of Year

Meanwhile, Reynolds congratulated Gisborne farmer and Federated Farmers national board member Sandra Faulkner on being named a finalist for the inaugural Rural Woman of the Year Award.

“This honour is highly deserved. Sandra goes the extra mile speaking up for our sector and has been particularly effective in pushing for positive changes in local government and emergency management.”

Other finalists for the award are Sarah Donaldson of the East Coast Rural Support Trust and Beef + Lamb NZ chair Kate Acland. The winner will be announced at the Primary Industries New Zealand Awards in Auckland on Tuesday, June 23.

'Gisborne is going to have to work harder and speak louder to gain Government attention.'

07/06/2026

Federated Farmers has launched a five-point plan for the next government, setting out what it says should be a major focus for political parties heading into the November election.

President Wayne Langford says the organisation’s election platform, Backing Kiwi Farmers, is a practical blueprint for whichever parties form the next government.

“This isn’t just another wish list or a collection of vague ideas. It’s a clear roadmap built by farmers to double farm productivity, cut costs, and improve environmental outcomes.

Wayne Langford says Federated Farmers achieved huge success with its 2023 election platform - it wants to do the same in 2026.

“We’ve launched it this week to coincide with National Fieldays, the sector’s biggest event of the year, when all eyes are on agriculture and farmers’ contribution to the country.

“These priorities are all about making sure farmers have the right rules and government backing to improve profitability and grow the economy.”

The five-point plan focuses on:

- Cutting the cost of farming
- Enabling technology and infrastructure
- Empowering community conservation
- Supporting young farmers
- Fixing local government.

Langford says each of those high-level themes has very specific and practical requests for whoever forms the next government.

“We’ve made our asks extremely clear, so politicians have absolutely no doubt what farmers are actually looking for this election,” he says.

“For example, we’ve asked for resource consents to be replaced by farm plans, an end to permanent carbon forestry, and for no new taxes to be introduced for farmers.

“We’ve also laid out practical steps to cut the cost of farming, accelerate solar uptake on farms, and double the funding for QEII Trust.

“With local government reform currently underway, we’ve spelled out exactly what we think should happen, including a separation of provincial areas from major cities, and removing councils’ ability to commit to joint decision-making with unelected groups.

“There’s a real breadth to this election platform and the issues we’re wanting to discuss, but no room for confusion about what we’re asking for.”

Langford says Federated Farmers had huge success with its list of election priorities in 2023, which were geared towards restoring rural confidence.

“We put forward 12 priorities for the incoming government and we’re pleased to have got all 12 of those across the line over the past three years.

“As a result, while costs are still high and some regulations are still a ni**le, rural communities are feeling a lot more positive about the future.

“That’s why we’ve shifted focus, launching 2026 election priorities designed to continue that momentum and unlock the full potential of rural New Zealand.”

Langford says a stronger farming sector will benefit the entire country, not just rural communities.

“Farming contributes tens of billions of dollars to our economy, supports regional towns and businesses, and feeds millions of people here in New Zealand and around the world.

“When farming does well, provincial New Zealand does well, local businesses do well, export earnings increase, and jobs are created.”

Federated Farmers wants political parties to engage with its proposals over the coming months.

“This election platform is ultimately about backing the people who produce the food, fibre and products that keep this country moving,” Langford says.

“Farmers are problem-solvers by nature. Give us the tools, get out of the way, and we will deliver a stronger, more productive New Zealand for future generations.”

Federated Farmers has launched a five-point plan for the next government, setting out what it says should be a major focus for political parties heading into the November election.

05/06/2026

With the next election fast approaching, I’ve been reflecting on how far farmers and rural communities have come since the last election in 2023.

The truth is we were in a deep hole three years ago, buried under a growing pile of impractical and expensive rules that sucked the joy out of farming.

Farmers were feeling about as confident as the Canadian rugby team heading into a test match against the All Blacks.

To turn things around, Federated Farmers came out with a 12-point policy roadmap designed to restore farmer confidence, slash red tape, cut costs and boost rural productivity.

And we got the job done.

Three years later, all 12 of those priorities have been ticked off or are well underway. The political landscape for farmers has largely changed as a result.

Costs are still high, some regulations are still a ni**le, but confidence across rural communities is much stronger than it was in 2023.

Kiwi farmers are contributing tens of billions to New Zealand’s economy, supporting our regional communities, and feeding millions across the world.

I’m incredibly proud to be part of that and I hope you are too.

But – and it’s a big ‘but’ – I still reckon we could be doing so much more.

It’s a crazy thought, but imagine what we could achieve if it was easier to grow our businesses, invest in new infrastructure, and farm more efficiently.

If we had a regulatory framework that enabled good decisions rather than creating roadblocks at every turn.

If we could spend more time producing food rather than filling in endless paperwork.

That’s exactly the crux of Federated Farmers’ 2026 election priorities, which we’re launching on Monday.

We’ll be coming out with a practical blueprint to double farm productivity, cut costs, and improve environmental outcomes.

This will provide a clear roadmap for whichever parties form the next government.

And this isn’t just about what’s good for farmers – it’s about what’s good for all New Zealanders.

If politicians are serious about making food more affordable, they need to look closely at our plan, which shows them exactly how to do that.

So, stand by for that announcement on Monday or, if you want a sneak preview, tune in to Q+A with Jack Tame this Sunday at 9am to see me discuss our plan.

We’ve timed the release of this document to line up with the National Fieldays, where we’re once again hosting the Rural Advocacy Hub.

If you’re at Mystery Creek next week, make sure you head along to the Hub for all the big conversations about the big issues facing farming.

We have a solid line-up of speakers, including Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, Ag Minister Todd McClay, and many more ministers and MPs.

I hope to see you there.

Wayne Langford
Federated Farmers president

02/06/2026

Gisborne needs to speak louder for regional deal

Gisborne is not facing local government reform ructions but is going to have speak louder to central Government to get a better regional deal, Charlie Reynolds says.

"The Government's failure to come to the table on forestry slash management and retiring the worst of our erosion-prone land is a glaring example of Wellington's 'out of sight, out of mind' approach to Tairāwhiti," the Federated Farmers Gisborne/Wairoa president says.

"Just as bad is their 'patch it up and fingers crossed it will hold together' attitude to our state highways.

"We're going to have to fight harder for our share of central government attention and funding to help secure our future prosperity."

Dive into our extensive resources on the topic that interests you. It's like a masterclass to be explored at your own pace.

28/05/2026

Government investment in roading resilience in the face of an increase in severe weather events is sound thinking, Federated Farmers infrastructure spokesperson Mark Hooper says.

“Federated Farmers has been calling for more funding for rural roads and key regional freight and access routes.

“It’s very pleasing that in a tight Budget the Government has found $400 million to tackle drainage, slope stabilisation and rockfall protection at known weak spots, such as the Waioweka Gorge in Gisborne and SH60 Tākaka Hill in Tasman-Nelson."

“This is in line with the truism that ‘a stitch in time, saves nine’. Building in better resilience ahead of the next flood or storm makes sense.

“We can’t continue to see communities like the East Coast or Golden Bay cut off every time a major rain event occurs.”

Ultimately, however, if experience shows a route or piece of public infrastructure continues to be highly vulnerable to weather events, investigation and funding of alternatives is needed.

“The cost of repeated highway and rural road patch-ups quickly mount.

“As the Infrastructure Commission has pointed out, New Zealand needs an agreed, prioritised 30-year pipeline of infrastructure upgrading to build and retain a skilled workforce.”