# PF086: We run a farm and live well outside a main centre. We are weighing operating costs, environmental obligations and access to local services. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What are parties offering on trade access and protecting agricultural exports? Collected 19 October 2026 [NZ Election 2026 · Edition 4 study](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/4) ## ChatGPT Answer ID: cc602786-edf2-41ea-a49f-16c6f04751b9 # New Zealand election 2026: Trade access and protecting farm exports Election day: Saturday, 7 November 2026 · National policy comparison For a farming business well outside a main centre, the key question is how each party would help you remain profitable while protecting access to overseas markets, managing environmental obligations and keeping the costs of production under control. New Zealand's general election campaign has brought these issues into focus. National is emphasising new trade agreements and export growth; Labour supports expanded market access but has raised concerns about the India deal; and New Zealand First stresses regional infrastructure and primary-sector support. The Greens have taken a more conditional approach to trade agreements, emphasising environmental and climate commitments. [Election 2026: What Parties Promise the Primary Sector](https://www.ruralnewsgroup.co.nz/rural-news/rural-general-news/election-2026-party-policies-primary-sector-farmers)[Release: Labour to support India free trade agreement](https://www.labour.org.nz/news/release-labour-to-support-india-free-trade-agreement/)[Hansard](https://hansard.parliament.nz/hansard-transcript/2026-09-15/taxation-annual-rates-for-2026-27-fbt-simplificati?lang=en&sId=61eb1d15f70ebcd46851865f6166a1e2)[New Zealand's Next Billion Customers](https://www.national.org.nz/policies/new-trade) ## 1. What the parties are offering The comparison below focuses on the main parties with published positions relevant to trade, farming and export protection. It distinguishes specific commitments from broader priorities. ![Will National Party Finish 2nd in New Zealand's 2026 Election?](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/LCDs4P76HEgfCayafHeSga8GCw12Vxs2fPc3toeyLUZ-wmb6UiGRZY6bhdT1xRejtICfUd6GX2BWmI76EkpoWuffTU4g32bP_qUJp29rsfn5_Zvj5THHSYTLHSoo_5_YQyZ3zKE1WIpB4bu7raRltFl5TZFCgCcE0quf_GohkFI?purpose=inline) ## National Trade expansion and production growth - Trade access: Proposes starting negotiations with seven additional economies over five years, prioritising Europe, South America, Africa and Asia, and continuing its target of doubling the value of exports by 2034. - Export protection: Promotes diversification into new markets, reduced customs and non-tariff barriers, and more support for exporters through New Zealand Trade and Enterprise. - Farm costs and obligations: Emphasises reducing regulatory burdens, greater land-use flexibility, easier on-farm water storage and improved fertiliser supply security. - What to check: Whether additional market access will translate into better returns for your particular products, and how its proposed changes to environmental rules affect your farm. Sources: [New Zealand's Next Billion Customers](https://www.national.org.nz/policies/new-trade)[Election 2026: What Parties Promise the Primary Sector](https://www.ruralnewsgroup.co.nz/rural-news/rural-general-news/election-2026-party-policies-primary-sector-farmers)[Securing water and fertiliser to back NZ farmers](https://www.national.org.nz/policies/securing-water-and-fertiliser) ![South Island Election Conference 2026](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/_spFKDBqOMVPoo8r35YLoGFwljs_-WWe4ur9fdZCfekzAxaUPGA75u8rI9uxOUTssI2hUZN1r4Zu1AeDrcNaxz3uHoFIyWjDpanT5s-KJ87QzxSu1uNjNL4MOHSuazRZuTy_TzC6aN4wxHHoyU_DhzMFuMCMjNBTtg2xRxOZL6c?purpose=inline) ## Labour Export opportunities alongside business resilience - Trade access: Supports the New Zealand–India free trade agreement, saying tariff reductions and improved access for exporters are welcome. - Export protection: Has raised concerns about the agreement's investment-related conditions and potential consequences if its targets are not met. Labour says it would work with exporters and importers to develop the India relationship. - Farm costs: Highlights energy insecurity, biosecurity, extreme weather and the cost of running farming businesses. Its small-business proposals include faster payment of invoices and support for investment in equipment. - What to check: Its detailed commitments on future trade negotiations, farm compliance costs and the practical support available to remote farming communities. Sources: [Release: Labour to support India free trade agreement](https://www.labour.org.nz/news/release-labour-to-support-india-free-trade-agreement/)[Labour's 2026 Election Policies](https://www.labour.org.nz/policy)[Election 2026: What Parties Promise the Primary Sector](https://www.ruralnewsgroup.co.nz/rural-news/rural-general-news/election-2026-party-policies-primary-sector-farmers) ![New Zealand legislative election winner? Predictions & Od... 2026 | Polymarket](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/UmXClDd76aKEk_XyXfEEacFBHXO18HFMG1Im-weRm7tb64uGzBsRK3vWPXuiFN2zaWaNznb7eSDIJucKOhlXtwb6Lq-BYR6oxisKzHsWTxF5AsiLmtcNGDNtwCsXzgIuSp2vW4pa6pAda-tTriG23zKX1ZuknQ81HGh411pqRkM?purpose=inline) ## New Zealand First Primary industries and regional investment - Trade access: Its MPs voted against the India free trade agreement, unlike National and Labour. That is an important difference if you expect to benefit from the new Indian market. - Export protection: Emphasises the importance of farming, forestry, fishing and other primary industries to New Zealand's export earnings. - Farm costs and services: Highlights regional infrastructure, water storage, irrigation, flood protection and port upgrades. It argues that rural regions should receive a fairer share of the benefits they generate. - What to check: Its specific alternative plan for securing new overseas market access, and how much funding would reach your region. Sources: [Hansard](https://hansard.parliament.nz/hansard-transcript/2026-09-15/taxation-annual-rates-for-2026-27-fbt-simplificati?lang=en&sId=61eb1d15f70ebcd46851865f6166a1e2)[Election 2026: What Parties Promise the Primary Sector](https://www.ruralnewsgroup.co.nz/rural-news/rural-general-news/election-2026-party-policies-primary-sector-farmers) ![New Zealand Legislative Election Winner 2026 Odds | Polymarket](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/jofoEEdOXv6HOQzupGnQLgXlZKKPYTzvN6g4IUMlN6xdqX4l_qH5-Y0A3to5ytO5w95eGsg-WLInlnku5FmW0VEyKqhTiAqcZSbr_Z1e_uNyqacdq4zniDKhRNRugVUCsz1-CYpZeG4nO7sLuQKEQlQMBgJCAoyH3nC76yYHd6E?purpose=inline) ## ACT Lower regulatory costs and farm productivity - Trade access: Its specific 2026 trade-negotiation commitments are less clearly set out in the sources reviewed than National's. - Export protection: Focuses on making primary production more competitive by reducing domestic regulatory and operating costs. - Farm costs and obligations: Has proposed national standards covering ten routine farming activities, including effluent management, fertiliser application, farm plans, water storage and vegetable growing. It has also proposed a dedicated Rural Workforce Visa for farm labour shortages. - What to check: The detail of the proposed standards, how they would interact with regional catchment conditions, and whether they reduce your actual consenting costs. Sources: [ACT New Zealand](https://www.act.org.nz/news/act-to-cut-red-tape-for-everyday-farming)[ACT New Zealand](https://www.act.org.nz/news/act-unveils-rural-workforce-visa-to-solve-farm-worker-shortage) ![Green Party NZ (@NZGreens) on X](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/xwoeA3rTn5Pu0UL1uRc6X_g8ADsfUTe55rxQEjXC_rnFR_6TPTr_9eG0LsowNOdFRtax24qB8h-LRfUtZEf42T0CC5OclOZ5katbFJAYxs0cZRyqDBlGNgF_8AV_5WTCbYonGIqLGuK095lLGrkBVw3L8vdsA06tLHVNuCJquuc?purpose=inline) ## Green Party Environmental conditions and sustainable agriculture - Trade access: The Greens voted against the India free trade agreement. Their stated distinction is that trade agreements should contain meaningful climate and environmental obligations; they supported the EU agreement, which they considered to meet important conditions. - Export protection: Their approach places greater emphasis on environmental safeguards and the sustainability of production than on market opening alone. - Farm costs and obligations: The party's agricultural and climate policies are relevant to freshwater, biodiversity, emissions and farming practices. - What to check: The likely compliance costs for your farm, proposed assistance for farmers adopting environmental improvements, and how its approach would secure market access for your export products. Sources: [Hansard](https://hansard.parliament.nz/hansard-transcript/2026-09-15/taxation-annual-rates-for-2026-27-fbt-simplificati?lang=en&sId=61eb1d15f70ebcd46851865f6166a1e2)[Complete Party Policy](https://www.greens.org.nz/policy)[Complete Party Policy](https://www.greens.org.nz/policy) ![](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/KZ1zP60v_ZeHHj3ij4DA2sVh6oX86DHN4x_RGhm63IEKbj8P_3phlgxON0_dzBqruxZt_piBvLSwWYOzxGtRjeiBIDJnBczyBauAihY7VhbFruy9Xq4tPeGbXtvfFHap7T9ZV_eOqtHyttigv_yv7jT6ibug6IoPJMJnJ8SLOeE?purpose=inline) ## Opportunity Party Innovation, research and long-term infrastructure - Trade access: The sources reviewed do not establish a detailed, specific programme for new agricultural trade agreements. - Export protection: Emphasises innovation and improving the productivity and resilience of the economy. - Farm costs and investment: Proposes increased research and development spending, support for agricultural science and technology, and a 25% tax credit on qualifying new investments by small businesses. - What to check: Eligibility for farm investment support and whether its research, technology and infrastructure proposals address your sector's export barriers. Source: [Election 2026: What Parties Promise the Primary Sector](https://www.ruralnewsgroup.co.nz/rural-news/rural-general-news/election-2026-party-policies-primary-sector-farmers) One qualification: Rural News sought primary-sector policy responses from major parties in October 2026, but ACT and the Greens did not respond by its deadline. Their positions above therefore draw on separately published party policies and parliamentary records rather than answers to that questionnaire. [Election 2026: What Parties Promise the Primary Sector](https://www.ruralnewsgroup.co.nz/rural-news/rural-general-news/election-2026-party-policies-primary-sector-farmers)[ACT New Zealand](https://www.act.org.nz/news/act-to-cut-red-tape-for-everyday-farming)[Complete Party Policy](https://www.greens.org.nz/policy) ## 2. Why the India trade agreement matters to farmers The India agreement is one of the clearest examples of a real policy difference in this election. It illustrates the difference between opening an export market and deciding what conditions should apply to that access. # 95% of current exports Preferential access over time The agreement provides preferential access for 95% of New Zealand's current exports to India, with tariff elimination or reductions phased in over time. The benefits differ considerably by product. [Key Outcomes | New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade](https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/trade/free-trade-agreements/free-trade-agreements-concluded-but-not-in-force/new-zealand-india-free-trade-agreement/key-outcomes) Horticulture Apples, kiwifruit and other produce The agreement includes new quota access for apples and kiwifruit, alongside tariff reductions for products such as cherries, avocados, blueberries and persimmons. [Key Outcomes | New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade](https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/trade/free-trade-agreements/free-trade-agreements-concluded-but-not-in-force/new-zealand-india-free-trade-agreement/key-outcomes) Dairy Opportunities, but not unrestricted access Some dairy preparations and ingredients receive phased tariff reductions or special arrangements. The agreement does not simply eliminate all Indian barriers to New Zealand dairy products. [Key Outcomes | New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade](https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/trade/free-trade-agreements/free-trade-agreements-concluded-but-not-in-force/new-zealand-india-free-trade-agreement/key-outcomes) The parties' positions are distinct: - National: Pursues the agreement as part of a wider strategy to diversify markets and grow exports. - Labour: Supports the agreement, but has raised concerns about its investment targets and implementation. - New Zealand First and the Greens: Voted against the agreement, although their reasons differ. New Zealand First opposed the deal's terms, while the Greens objected to its environmental and climate provisions. [Release: Labour to support India free trade agreement](https://www.labour.org.nz/news/release-labour-to-support-india-free-trade-agreement/)[Hansard](https://hansard.parliament.nz/hansard-transcript/2026-09-15/taxation-annual-rates-for-2026-27-fbt-simplificati?lang=en&sId=61eb1d15f70ebcd46851865f6166a1e2)[Policies for Party vote - NZ Election 2026](https://policy.nz/2026/party-vote/policies/economy) For your farm, the key question is whether your product benefits directly, whether the quota or tariff arrangements are commercially useful, and whether you can realistically supply that market. A national export-growth target does not guarantee a higher farm-gate price. ## 3. What about protecting agricultural exports from future risks? Trade access is only one side of export protection. Three other issues are worth comparing. | Issue | Questions to ask about party policy | | --- | --- | | Market concentration | Will the party pursue more trade agreements so that one overseas market accounts for a smaller share of your sales? | | Input costs and supply chains | What will it do about fertiliser, fuel, electricity, freight and disruptions to imported farm supplies? | | Environmental and market standards | Will its rules help exporters meet overseas requirements and retain buyer confidence, and who pays for compliance? | National has explicitly proposed new essential-supplies agreements with partner countries and a $10 million domestic nitrogen fund as part of its fertiliser-security policy. ACT's approach focuses more on reducing domestic regulatory costs. Labour highlights business resilience, biosecurity and energy security, while the Greens place greater emphasis on environmental safeguards. [Securing water and fertiliser to back NZ farmers](https://www.national.org.nz/policies/securing-water-and-fertiliser)[Ballance Welcomes National's Policy on Securing Fertiliser Supply Contracts](https://www.ruralnewsgroup.co.nz/rural-news/rural-general-news/ballance-welcomes-national-fertiliser-security-policy)[ACT New Zealand](https://www.act.org.nz/news/act-to-cut-red-tape-for-everyday-farming)[Election 2026: What Parties Promise the Primary Sector](https://www.ruralnewsgroup.co.nz/rural-news/rural-general-news/election-2026-party-policies-primary-sector-farmers)[Complete Party Policy](https://www.greens.org.nz/policy) For a remote farm, there is also a practical distinction between national policy and what you experience locally. Regional road reliability, rural connectivity, access to veterinary and other professional services, water infrastructure and emergency support can affect your costs and your ability to meet delivery contracts. New trade agreements alone will not resolve those constraints. ## 4. How to compare the policies against your farm's priorities You can use these questions to assess each party without relying on campaign slogans. ## Your farm policy checklist Select the issues that matter most to your business. You can use this shortlist to compare the parties' detailed policies. Trade agreements Farm input costs Environmental compliance Rural roads and infrastructure Rural services and connectivity Water security and irrigation Biosecurity and export standards Research and technology Compare selected priorities For further checking, these sources are useful: - [National's 2026 trade policy](https://www.national.org.nz/policies/new-trade?utm_source=chatgpt.com) - [Labour's 2026 policies](https://www.labour.org.nz/policy?utm_source=chatgpt.com) - [ACT's farming regulatory proposals](https://www.act.org.nz/news/act-to-cut-red-tape-for-everyday-farming?utm_source=chatgpt.com) - [Green Party policies](https://www.greens.org.nz/policy?utm_source=chatgpt.com) - [Policy.nz's 2026 election policy guide](https://policy.nz/2026/party-vote/policies/economy?utm_source=chatgpt.com) The central distinction: National's published programme puts particular emphasis on trade expansion and export growth; Labour combines support for market access with concerns about implementation and business resilience; New Zealand First prioritises primary industries and regional investment but opposed the India agreement; ACT emphasises lowering domestic farming costs; and the Greens place more weight on environmental conditions attached to trade. Opportunity emphasises innovation and longer-term investment. The practical test is which combination of export opportunities, predictable compliance requirements and reliable rural infrastructure best supports the long-term viability of your particular farm. ## Gemini Answer ID: ec8f2ba0-c11e-4134-976e-3df59dee5933 As you weigh your vote in the **2026 New Zealand general election** from a remote farm, balancing operating costs, environmental expectations, and international trade access is a central theme across the political landscape. While trade access has traditionally relied heavily on government-to-government Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), the debate in 2026 tightly links international market access with **on-farm compliance, environmental credentials, and the cost of production inputs** (like fertiliser and water). Party approaches to trade access and agricultural exports center on several distinct platforms: --- ### 1. National Party * **Trade Strategy:** Focuses on leveraging recent and active trade deals (such as agreements with the UAE, Gulf states, and the India FTA coming into force) to build on export targets. The core pitch is reducing internal blockages so farmers can physically produce enough volume to meet international demand. * **Protecting Exports & Operating Costs:** National emphasizes "letting farmers farm" by cutting red tape, removing agriculture from the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), and shifting towards standardising farm-level rules (e.g., standard consents for quarries and micro-hydro generation). * **Inputs & Infrastructure:** They have proposed targeted investments for rural productivity, including a $300 million fund for water storage concessional loans, national standards for irrigation/water storage to ease consenting, and a Critical Agri Inputs Fund to protect against volatile global fertiliser markets. ### 2. Labour Party * **Trade Strategy & International Image:** Emphasises maintaining high environmental standards to protect New Zealand’s "clean, green" brand overseas, arguing that international premium markets and conscious consumers demand verifiable environmental integrity (such as freshwater protections and climate action) to maintain high export returns. * **Protecting Exports & Operating Costs:** Frames rural pressures as a "cost-of-farming crisis" driven by high fuel, global fertilizer price volatility, and extreme weather. Labour argues that deregulation can go too far and threatens the environmental bottom lines required by high-value EU and UK markets. They also advocate for an uplift and quicker approval pathways for newer, safer agrichemicals to maintain productivity without risking export competitiveness. ### 3. ACT Party * **Trade Strategy:** Strongly advocates for a less regulated market environment, pushing to open up international trade lanes by stripping back any domestic rules that exceed strict cost-benefit justifications. * **Protecting Exports & Operating Costs:** Focuses heavily on removing regulatory barriers around land, water, and labor. ACT argues that the best way to support agricultural exports is to radically reduce state intervention, lower compliance costs, and avoid new taxes, allowing export-oriented businesses to freely deploy capital and secure inputs. ### 4. New Zealand First * **Trade Strategy:** Places strong emphasis on the primary sector as the backbone of New Zealand's merchandise exports (historically citing over 80% of export value). Their platform prioritises regional New Zealand and ensuring that trade agreements actively protect and prioritize domestic producers. * **Protecting Exports & Operating Costs:** Focuses on safeguarding regional infrastructure, ensuring reliable water supplies, securing seasonal and skilled labor, and protecting primary producers from heavy-handed compliance from Wellington. They also advocate for economic adjustments like small-business company tax cuts to ease domestic operating margins. ### 5. Green Party * **Trade Strategy & Environmental Obligations:** The Greens take a fundamentally different approach, arguing that global markets are rapidly shifting toward mandatory carbon footprints and stringent environmental metrics. They contend that New Zealand’s long-term export survival depends on aggressively lowering emissions and transitioning toward regenerative and sustainable practices. * **Protecting Exports & Operating Costs:** Supports bringing agriculture into the ETS and implementing stricter standards for agricultural pollution, paired with financial incentives and research backing to help farms transition. They view stringent environmental baselines not as a penalty, but as a mandatory shield against future green-protectionist trade barriers overseas. --- ### Summary for Remote Farming Operations When casting your vote, the choice largely hinges on how you view the connection between international markets and domestic rules: * **The Deregulation / Production View (National, ACT, NZ First):** Emphasises that high export returns depend on cutting compliance costs, securing water and fertiliser inputs, and freeing farmers from domestic red tape. * **The Environmental Integrity / Value Chain View (Labour, Greens):** Emphasises that premium international export prices rely fundamentally on protecting freshwater and lowering emissions to satisfy overseas regulatory demands and conscious consumers. Are there specific compliance areas—such as freshwater management, freshwater pricing, or local infrastructure—that are most heavily impacting your day-to-day farm management right now? ## Google AI Mode Answer ID: 944e533e-7bed-4482-8133-73f983536914 As you weigh up your vote from a rural property—balancing operating costs, shifting environmental compliance, and the realities of distance from town—the major political parties are taking noticeably different approaches to protecting and expanding agricultural export markets, alongside easing on-farm regulatory burdens. An overview of what the key parties are putting forward regarding trade access, export growth, and the agricultural sector includes the following: * * **National Party:** Emphasises an aggressive export-led growth target, aiming to double the value of New Zealand's food and fibre exports over a 10-year window. On trade, National has outlined plans to initiate new free trade agreement (FTA) or economic partnership talks with a fresh wave of countries (including parts of Latin America, South Asia, and the European Free Trade Association) within a five-year framework. Domestically, their approach to protecting export viability focuses on cutting red tape through standardized national rules (covering areas like water storage, fertilizer application, and drain maintenance) to bypass regional council consent friction, keeping agriculture out of the ETS, and replacing the RMA. * **Labour Party:** Focuses heavily on maximising and sweating value out of New Zealand's existing network of signed free trade agreements rather than immediately committing extensive diplomatic resources to opening brand-new negotiations. Labour's framing generally places a stronger emphasis on sustainable production metrics, aligning with international market expectations around climate and environmental credentials to protect high-value brand positioning in discerning markets like the EU. They also lean into supporting regional advisory networks, catchment groups, and rural mental health support mechanisms. [www.farmersweekly.co.nz] * **New Zealand First:** Positions itself as a staunch defender of the primary sector as the backbone of the economy, noting that the vast majority of merchandise export earnings stem directly from farming, forestry, fishing, and horticulture. Their platform prioritises regional infrastructure, pushing back against regulatory overreach from Wellington, and advocating for domestic supply chain resilience (such as addressing market dominance in sectors like fuel, energy, and supermarkets that drive up local operating costs). They emphasize keeping regional processing and primary industries insulated from punitive compliance costs. * **Green Party & ACT Party:** While the Greens approach agriculture through a lens of strict ecological boundaries—strongly supporting mechanisms to price agricultural emissions, transition toward regenerative practices, and align national policy tightly with global climate commitments—ACT typically advocates for the complete removal of bureaucratic roadblocks on property rights, rapid deregulation, and dismantling input controls or subsidies. While ACT strongly supports free trade, their primary pitch to farmers is centered on radical deregulation of local and central government rules rather than state-led trade missions. * Evaluating these platforms depends on whether you see your primary risk as international market access and tariff reduction (favouring aggressive new trade deals), local compliance and input cost stability (favouring standardized rule-books and anti-duopoly measures), or long-term environmental risk mitigation to satisfy premium overseas consumer bases. You can review full candidate and party breakdowns on [Policy.nz](https://policy.nz/) to see how local electorate candidates weigh these priorities. ## AI Overviews Answer ID: 3c605009-b79c-4d1f-b7f7-98137ad0ac20 For the **2026 New Zealand general election** , political parties are addressing **trade access** and **agricultural export protection** through distinct strategies. The major parties balance trade growth against domestic environmental obligations and compliance costs differently. Trade Access & Protecting Agricultural Exports Political Party| Trade Access & Expansion Strategy| Stance on Non-Tariff Barriers & Export Protection ---|---|--- **National**| Focuses on **doubling export value in 10 years** by leveraging new free trade agreements (such as the recent India FTA and Gulf states deals).| Seeks to **slash domestic "red tape"** and standardise farm compliance rules to keep production costs low, ensuring exports remain competitive globally. **Labour**| Broadly supports continuing New Zealand's rules-based free trade framework.| Focuses on **supplying stable domestic policy environments** and reviewing the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) without placing direct immediate costs on farmers, aiming to protect the "clean green" brand value without sacrificing competitiveness. **ACT**| Emphasises boosting primary sector productivity to feed trade pipelines.| Advocates heavily for **deregulation** and strengthening **biosecurity protections** to defend agricultural trade pathways from biological threats. **New Zealand First**| Pushes for **regional infrastructure support** to bolster export supply chains.| Focuses on regional growth and has historically campaigned to protect New Zealand exporters from unfavorable international climate protocols. **Green Party**| Supports a transition toward **high-value, eco-certified regenerative exports**.| Believes long-term trade security depends on meeting strict **global environmental standards** , advocating for pricing agricultural emissions to align with international consumer expectations. **The Opportunity Party (TOP)**| Seeks to escape the commodity trap by investing in **agricultural R &D and high-value niches**.| Proposes creating new **biodiversity credit markets** to give farmers alternative revenue while protecting export sustainability credentials. * * * Environmental Obligations vs. Operating Costs * **National & ACT (The Coalition):** Have kept agriculture **out of the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS)** and replaced the previous _He Waka Eke Noa_ emissions plan to shield farmers from carbon compliance costs. They are proposing **19 new national standards** to make farm-level activities—like water storage and fertiliser application—easier and cheaper to consent. * **Labour:** Commits to **no new capital gains tax on farms** and no immediate plans to put agriculture into the ETS. However, they support targeted reviews of carbon forestry to stop full farm-to-forest conversions. * **Greens:** Insist on **pricing agricultural emissions under the ETS** and phasing out synthetic fertilisers to meet the Paris Agreement targets. They offer financial support schemes to help farmers transition toward regenerative practices. Access to Local Services * **National and NZ First** highlight continuous investment into **Rural Support Trusts, Farmstrong** , and regional infrastructure funds to stabilize rural isolation pressures. * **ACT** highlights targeted regional funding, including a **$400m pledge to retain rural GPs**. * **Labour and Greens** focus on expanding **mobile health units** , subsidising rural school buses, and general cost-of-living relief (like capped transport and free doctor visits) extended to regional communities. If you would like to explore a specific party's stance further, let me know: * Which **specific political party** you want to focus on. * Whether your primary concern is **emissions pricing, biosecurity** , or **water storage regulations**.