ACT's Agriculture Policy
ACT strongly opposes agricultural emissions pricing, freshwater regulations it deems excessive, Three Waters reform, and what it describes as anti-farming bureaucracy. They support deregulation, voluntary environmental standards, and protecting farm property rights.
In simple terms
Scrap farm emissions charges, remove freshwater rules that hurt farmers, oppose government control of water, and let farmers manage their land without excessive regulation.
Green Party's Agriculture Policy
The Green Party supports transitioning farming to lower-emission practices, pricing agricultural methane emissions, reducing intensive dairy farming on environmentally sensitive land, supporting organic and regenerative agriculture, and paying farmers for environmental services.
In simple terms
Charge farmers for methane emissions, reduce intensive dairy farming near rivers, support organic farming, and pay farmers for protecting the environment.
Labour's Agriculture Policy
Labour proposed bringing agriculture into the ETS from 2025, introduced the He Waka Eke Noa levy system alternative, invested in agricultural research, and balanced freshwater standards with farming needs. They support sustainable farming practices and increasing export returns.
In simple terms
Price agricultural emissions to help NZ meet climate goals, invest in sustainable farming research, and clean up rivers while supporting farmers to adapt.
National's Agriculture Policy
National has exempted agriculture from the Emissions Trading Scheme, opposed farm-level emissions pricing, reduced freshwater regulation affecting farmers, supported irrigation schemes, and repealed the ban on gene technology to enable precision agriculture in NZ.
In simple terms
Protect farmers from carbon charges, ease freshwater rules, support irrigation, and allow gene technology so farmers can grow better crops.
NZ First's Agriculture Policy
NZ First is a strong defender of the farming sector, opposing agricultural emissions pricing, protecting farmland from foreign ownership, supporting the primary industries as the backbone of the economy, and opposing what they see as urban-centric environmental regulations.
In simple terms
Protect farmers from emissions charges and excessive regulation, stop foreigners buying farmland, and recognise farming as the foundation of the New Zealand economy.
Te Pāti Māori's Agriculture Policy
Te Pāti Māori supports Māori farming and whenua Māori (Māori land) development, investment in papakainga (Māori community farming), fair water rights for Māori land holders, and transitioning to sustainable Māori-led agricultural practices that align with kaitiakitanga.
In simple terms
Invest in Māori farming, support development of Māori land for agriculture, ensure Māori have fair water access, and promote sustainable farming practices.