Farmers of New Zealand Inc. was formed by concerned farmers and rural business people because of a real belief that the rural community was poorly represented. In days gone by New Zealanders were proud of our nations agricultural heritage but as society changed and fewer people had direct rural roots an increasing gulf has arisen between urban and rural interests. These days continuing reliance on primary exports is often resented and a strong urban population has impacted on political attitudes and public policy to such an extent that rural requirements are often simply ignored.

 

While geographical change was inevitable attitude change was not. As society changed and expressed different priorities our conservative rural voice did not. Rather than being proactive and finding modern ways to operate in a changing environment the industry simply reacted, often negatively, to issues and events created by others. Politicians focus on urban investment and generally ignore rural needs. We must take some responsibility for this situation because of our reliance on outdated rural advocacy that is simply out of touch with a modern globalised society.

Farmers of New Zealand Inc. intends to change this but we need strong membership support to succeed. We also acknowledge that modern farming and rural businesses are more discerning and require direct and proven benefits to justify their support. Find out the benefits of being a Farmer of New Zealand here.

 

Find out about our subscription structure here.