Our policy and advocacy work for farmers

Overview

Our current advocacy and policy work is focused on four key areas. These priorities have been identified by dairy farmers as issues that are top of mind and require urgent attention. The four areas are:

Scroll down for more detailed information on each of the four priorities.

1. Resource management reform

DairyNZ seeks resource management legislation that enables innovation and balances economic development and sustainable environmental management. We want enduring legislation that can survive multiple election cycles to provide farmers with the certainty they need to invest and innovate.

The Government’s Resource Management Act (RMA) reform process is in three phases:

1. Repeal of the Natural and Built Environment Act and Spatial Planning Act (completed in December 2023).
2. Targeted changes to the existing resource management system included:
   1. The passing into law of the Fast-track Approvals Act.
   2. Two amendment acts to the Resource Management Act (RMA).
3. Comprehensive legislation to replace the RMA, with the aim of introducing and passing this legislation before the next election.

Progress update

The Government has completed Phase 1 and Phase 2. Phase 3 (full replacement) is in progress. The targeted changes have included:

• Introducing the Fast-track Approvals Act - the Act was passed into law in December 2024.
• The Resource Management (Freshwater and Other Matters) Amendment Act, passed into law in October 2024.This included several changes directly affecting farmers, including:
  • Repealing national intensive winter grazing regulations for the 2025 season (note regional regulations will still apply).
  • Repealing the low slope map and associated requirements from stock exclusion regulations.
  • Suspending the requirement for councils to identify Significant Natural Areas for three years.
  • Excluding the ‘Te Mana o te Wai’ hierarchy of obligations from consideration in resource consenting.
  • Pausing regional implementation of national freshwater policy until there is a new National Policy Statement in place.
• Passing of the Resource Management (Consenting and Other System Changes) Amendment Act in August. Key changes include:
  • Pause to future council planning until 31 December 2027.
  • Changes to Freshwater Farm Plan thresholds to require fewer farms to develop a FWFP.
  • Changes to address permitted activity pathways in the RMA, allowing discharges as permitted activities in regional plans.
  • Increases to enforcement penalties and removal of ability to insure against fines.
  • Insertion of new regulation - making powers for the Minister for the Environment to modify or remove provisions of a policy statement or plan.

DairyNZ supported some of these proposals but opposed others. These positions are outlined in our submission and summarised on our Resource management reform webpage.

Phase 3 began in late 2024. An independent Resource Management Expert Advisory Group released a blueprint to inform the Government’s full reform of the RMA and the Government has responded. The intent is to have replacement legislation drafted and going through the select committee process by the end of 2025, and in place by the end of 2026. DairyNZ is advocating for the dairy sector throughout the reform process.

2. Improving freshwater policy

DairyNZ is committed to helping improve freshwater outcomes across all dairy catchments, building off the great work farmers have already been doing.

The National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2020 (NPS-FM) does not sufficiently recognise the importance of primary production. We seek:

• A freshwater policy framework focused on defining and achieving environmental and human health outcomes at a catchment level rather than numerical limits.
• A renewed focus on catchment scale action plans with regulatory and non-regulatory actions, supporting science-based, catchment and farm scale actions that deliver environmental and human health outcomes.
• Updates to the existing regulations for Freshwater Farm Plans (FWFPs) to enable them to be a practical tool within this catchment- and actions-focused framework, and to recognise existing industry-led farm environment plans that meet specific requirements.
• With these updates, FWFPs could play a critical role as an alternative to consents or general rules.

Our advocacy over the past few years has sought change at national and local government levels on these issues and others, for example, regulations relating to stock exclusion, winter grazing, and use of nitrogen fertiliser.

Progress update

The Government consulted on a package of national policy reform, including freshwater, over June and July 2025. DairyNZ’s extensive work in this space meant we were well-positioned to respond.

The changes proposed will inform regional planning processes. Regional councils must wait for a new NPS-FM or until the end of 2027, whichever comes first, before notifying new regional plans.

During this pause, we will continue to work with regional councils to improve their evidence base and encourage further engagement with farmers and catchment groups. For a summary, see our regional advocacy pages.

DairyNZ will continue engaging with Ministers, officials, dairy companies, Beef + Lamb NZ, and Federated Farmers to shape changes to national freshwater policy. This remains a priority.

3. Climate targets

DairyNZ is committed to dairy farming playing its part in transitioning to a low-emissions economy alongside the rest of New Zealand. See our climate pages for more information.

We are advocating for fair and scientifically robust climate policy. See our climate change advocacy page for more information.

Progress update

• Methane target revised to 14-24% reduction below 2017 levels by 2050 (down from 24-47%), reflecting the advice of the independent methane review panel.
• The Government has also confirmed it will not introduce a farm-level emissions pricing system by 2030 and will amend the climate change legislation to recognise and protect the importance of food production, in line with the language used in the Paris Agreement on climate change.

4. Gene technology reform

The Government is reviewing New Zealand’s genetic technology rules, which are now more than 25 years old. It tabled a Gene Technology Bill in December 2024, aiming to make it easier to test and use gene technologies, while still ensuring strong protections for human health and the environment.

The Health Select Committee heard submissions on the Bill in early 2025, including from DairyNZ, and reported back to Parliament in October 2025. Final legislation is expected to be passed in early 2026.

For DairyNZ’s submission on the Bill and other information, see our page on genetic technology reform.

Other issues

DairyNZ is also actively involved in policy work relating to biosecurity, people and wider sector isues.

DairyNZ is also engaging with Government on the expansion of a voluntary nature credits market in New Zealand. Voluntary markets open income opportunities for farmers and other landowners who look after nature on their land by linking them with investors interested in projects designed to protect nature. More information on this proposal can be found here.

On other critical issues, like rural banking reform, we work closely with sector partners like Federated Farmers to ensure better outcomes for dairy farmers.