Primary Industries New Zealand Summit

It is a genuine pleasure to join you at this important Agriculture Conference — a key gathering for our primary sector as we look ahead to the opportunities and challenges shaping rural New Zealand’s future.

I want to acknowledge our MC Rowena, and all the industry leaders and representatives here today who champion the interests of farmers, growers, foresters, and processors. Your commitment to rural New Zealand, often without fanfare, strengthens our country immeasurably.

In particular, I want to recognise Federated Farmers President Wayne Langford and thank you for your considerable leadership and vision. A big part of why farming is doing so well is the advocacy that you and Federated Farmers have undertaken over the last three years. A clear example of this impact is Prime Minister Luxon’s announcement of $109 million for wilding pine control — the result of sustained, effective advocacy on an issue that is genuinely damaging productive farmland.

Minister of Agriculture Future Leaders Scholarship

The quality of leadership I’ve seen across the primary sector over the past three years has led me to focus on how we grow the farm leaders of tomorrow. At the Fieldays opening two weeks ago, I announced the Minister of Agriculture Future Leaders Scholarship — a new initiative to support emerging talent in agriculture, horticulture, and forestry with grants of $10,000 for study, capability building, and industry experience.

I’m grateful that the Fieldays and Ravensdown have joined me as partners, and I’m pleased to confirm that five scholars will be announced each year at the Fieldays, ensuring the next generation of leaders — those who embody the Kiwi can-do spirit — can continue to drive this sector forward.

There Has Never Been a Better Time to Farm

Farming has never been easy, and recent seasons have tested resilience — with dry conditions on parts of the East Coast, storms in the Bay of Plenty, around Otorohanga, and across Southland, Tasman, and Marlborough, alongside volatile international markets, geopolitical tensions, and evolving trade policies.

Yet the results you are delivering are truly remarkable. I would argue there has never been a better time to be a food producer — in New Zealand or around the world. In the face of growing protectionism, higher tariffs, and the disruptions caused by geopolitical uncertainty, you continue to produce more and earn more for every New Zealander.

Fixing the Basics and Building the Future

You may have heard the National Party’s focus over recent months: fixing the basics and building the future. That means fixing healthcare, restoring educational achievement so children learn to read, write, and do maths, restoring law and order with fewer ram raids and reduced violent crime — and supporting the primary sector by simplifying rules and working with farmers, not against them. That is commonsense governing.

And, in return, you are helping us build the future: a growing economy, more jobs, higher wages, and a farming community whose contribution is recognised and who have every right to be proud.

Record Results: A Sector on the Rise

New Zealand’s food and fibre sector is on an extraordinary trajectory. The latest Situation and Outlook for Primary Industries (SOPI), released just two weeks ago, forecasts export revenue of $64.3 billion for the year to June 2026 — a strong performance driven by robust dairy and red meat prices, growth in apples and kiwifruit, and favourable exchange rates.

Dairy is forecast to reach a record $28.6 billion. Meat and wool are at $14.1 billion. Horticulture is approaching $9.5 billion, and forestry remains a key contributor. These figures are not abstract — they support the wages of hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders, sustain provincial towns and communities, and underpin our ability to invest in infrastructure, health, and education across the country.

This Government’s vision is clear: to position New Zealand as a world-leading, high-value producer of premium, sustainable food and fibre. We are on track to double the value of our exports within a decade, and the latest forecasts show we are ahead of schedule. By 2030, we are looking at primary exports exceeding $70 billion. I salute every farmer, grower, and processor whose innovation and hard work are making this possible.

Regulatory Reform: Ending the War on Farming

When we took office, the sector faced an ever-growing regulatory burden that eroded certainty and increased compliance costs. We have acted decisively to change this.

The first RMA Amendment Act removed prescriptive winter grazing consents, shifted stock exclusion to a risk-based approach, and better integrated farm environment plans with freshwater requirements.

We are now replacing the Resource Management Act with a modern framework — the Natural and Built Environments Act — that will deliver simpler, more predictable consenting, fewer prescriptive rules, and clearer national direction. This is not about removing environmental standards; it is about making them workable and practical so that farmers can focus on production while delivering genuine environmental outcomes. Improved environmental performance is a must — but it can and should be achieved without imposing unnecessary and excessive costs on the primary sector.

Waikato – Plan Change 1

I know many in this room are concerned about the potential effects of Plan Change 1 in the Waikato. I met with Minister Bishop yesterday to make the case for Waikato farmers. It does not make sense to have a new national planning system adopted by Parliament before the election, while the Waikato remains subject to rules developed under the old system. Minister Bishop will instruct officials to provide advice on options to better align rule-making in the Waikato with the replaced RMA.

Catchment Groups: Backing Local, Farmer-Led Solutions

One of the strongest examples of genuine partnership is the growth of farmer-led catchment groups. These practical, locally focused initiatives are delivering real environmental improvements on the ground.

Two weeks ago, I announced further support through a total commitment of $40.5 million over four years for catchment groups. This includes $13.5 million in the 2026/27 year for 17 catchment collectives, representing 51 individual groups and thousands of farmers. We are also working on longer-term funding certainty, including support for the New Zealand Landcare Trust. These groups have proven their value — they deserve stability and scaled-up backing.

Trade: Opening Markets and Creating Opportunity

Domestic reforms and innovation only matter if we have viable, high-value markets in which to sell. That is why this Government has pursued a deliberate “And” trade strategy — advancing new agreements with India while strengthening and deepening ties with China, the United Kingdom, the United States, the European Union, the UAE, and the GCC. This balanced approach is delivering real results for New Zealand exporters, particularly our primary sector.

We are seeing strong momentum across key markets. Exports to the United Kingdom have risen 79 percent over the past three years, driven predominantly by our food and fibre industries. Trade with the European Union has generated an additional $3 billion in exports in just the first two years, again with the bulk coming from the primary sector. 

Exports to China have reached $42.3 billion this year, supported by a beef quota that now exceeds Australia’s. The UAE has recorded a 34 percent increase in trade in the first six months alone, while even in the challenging environment of 10 to 15 percent US tariffs, our exports to the United States have grown by 4 percent year-on-year, with beef and kiwifruit returning to zero-tariff access.

The New Zealand–India Free Trade Agreement, signed in April this year, stands as one of the most significant market access breakthroughs in a generation for our primary industries. This landmark deal opens the door to a market of 1.4 billion people and provides tariff reductions or elimination on 95 percent of our current exports to India. Key wins include immediate duty-free access for sheep meat and wool, seafood, and infant formula; substantial new quota access for apples — the first preferential access India has granted in any FTA — and tariff-free entry for kiwifruit within quota, with a 50 percent tariff reduction outside it.

Horticultural exporters will also gain improved access for avocados, cherries, blueberries, and other products, while over 95 percent of forestry products will enter tariff-free immediately. Together with gains in wine, honey, and selected dairy ingredients, these outcomes will deliver higher returns for our farmers, growers, and processors, create jobs on the land, and bring new vitality to rural communities. We expect lamb exports alone to double within the first year.

We campaigned on doubling the value of New Zealand’s exports within ten years. Since taking office, we have already delivered a $17 billion increase and remain firmly on track to achieve that goal — with the primary sector continuing to do the heavy lifting.

But we now have more market access and greater international consumer demand than we can currently satisfy. Consumers around the world choose New Zealand food and fibre because of its reputation for quality, safety, and environmental integrity. Grass-fed, safe, nutritious — they value the story of cows on pasture and sheep on the hills, and your commitment to clean water and environmental care.

But those consumers have choices. On the supermarket shelves of the world, they can look to Australia, Ireland, or any number of countries making similar claims. Our challenge — and our opportunity — is to produce more, in ways that strengthen rather than compromise our environmental standing.

Land Use Flexibility: Backing Kiwi Farmers and Growers to Feed the World

At the Fieldays I announced a significant new policy: Land Use Flexibility — backing Kiwi farmers and growers to feed the world. The principle is straightforward. If you can demonstrate the same or an improved environmental and climate footprint, you should have the freedom to choose what you use your land for. With one exception: I have banned the conversion of productive land to pine trees for carbon farming.

Using science and innovation to produce more from the same amount of land — or less — is something Kiwi farmers have done for generations: larger ewes, more meat per hectare, increased dairy solids per unit of production, the development of gold and red kiwifruit varieties, better apple cultivars. This is in our DNA.

To underpin this, we have announced six projects in partnership with the private sector, worth $143 million in total, to pilot and prove these concepts — in dairy to reduce nitrate loss, in sheep and beef to maximise pasture utilisation, in horticulture to boost kiwifruit production, in forestry to add value to our wood, on whenua Māori, and in aquaculture to make better use of land and sea resources. These are real projects on real farms, demonstrating that greater flexibility, paired with smart technology and investment, delivers both higher productivity and better environmental performance.

This is our strategy: workable rules, targeted innovation funding, and genuine trust in those who know the land best.

Conclusion

This National-led Government is unequivocally committed to the success of New Zealand’s primary industries as a core governing priority. Our vision is a resilient, innovative, high-value sector that drives national prosperity, supports thriving rural communities, and leads the world in sustainable production.

The SOPI numbers tell a compelling story of growth and optimism. But they are the result of your work. We will continue delivering workable regulations, practical environmental solutions, strong trade access, and investment in innovation and people.

We are with you. Keep building. Keep growing. And know that this Government will do everything in its power to ensure New Zealand agriculture remains competitive, profitable, and sustainable for generations to come.