New Zealand's dairy sector provided record export revenue

Dairy farming is New Zealand's largest export earner. Total sector revenue became part of the country's record overall food and fibre sector revenue of $65.2 billion for the year to June.

The importance of a strong dairy industry extends beyond farm gates. It supports the regional economy through wages, investment, and spending, while also acting as a major customer for businesses in transport, technology, manufacturing, retail, and professional services.

Farmers continue to improve productivity, adopt new technologies, adapt farming systems, and invest in environmental protection and animal welfare. For long-term investment decisions designed for decades rather than electoral cycles, farmers need certainty from the next government.

Effective policy must build on what works, fix what is broken, and provide certainty for future planning. Government policy must be evidence-based, practical, and enduring, so as not to create overly complex regulations, duplicative systems, and unjustified costs without improving outcomes.

New Zealand has the potential thanks to world-class farmers, advanced agricultural science, strong international markets, and a reputation for producing high-quality food. A productive, competitive, and sustainable dairy sector benefits not only farmers, but the entire economy.