The Green Party will support all parts of the agricultural sector to look after our environment so that it sustains our communities and builds our resilience to multiple impacts, including climate and market instability. This policy shows that everyone in Aotearoa New Zealand can eat good food that is more affordable for our local consumers and gets a fair price for our food and fibre producers. Our sustainable agricultural practices will create products that are in high demand globally. Farmers will be supported to keep innovating and improving, and good data collection will ensure that agencies provide real-time feedback to inform that progress.
Vision
The agricultural sector upholds the mana of the land, people, and animals.
Values and Principles
Agriculture policy must be guided by the following values and principles:
- Kawanatanga: Governance of the agricultural sector recognises the unique expertise and rights of Māori. Māori participation in shaping the future of agriculture is equitable.
- Tiakina te taiao, tiakina te iwi e: The agricultural sector protects our diverse ecosystems to sustain our communities using a precautionary approach for future generations. Mātauranga Māori guides our agricultural practices and environmental standards.
- Ka mua, ka muri: The agricultural sector recognises its impact on climate change and commits to reduced emissions.
- Te Rāngai aumangea: The agricultural sector is supported to adapt to a changing environment, including the land and weather patterns.
- Te Rāngai tōnui: The agricultural sector is supported to be financially viable. This viability includes ecological health and egalitarian human systems.
- Tauutuutu: Agriculture depends on relationships. Where these relationships have been undermined or damaged, they must be repaired.
- Tiaki kararehe: Farm animals are sentient beings deserving of our care and protection.
Strategic Priorities
The Green Party’s strategic goals include:
Our nation will lead the world in sequestering carbon through ecologically sound means.
“...regenerative practices in all areas of economic activity, including land use and food production, will predominate.”
Aotearoa will be in transition, creating green work and broad prosperity while moving Aotearoa away from carbon-dependent, extractive and resource-intensive industries.
Actions in this policy that will help achieve this include:
- Implement the recommendations of the Waitangi Tribunal to ensure that governance of the agricultural sector upholds Te Tiriti o Waitangi. (1.2)
- Establish an Agricultural Standards Framework that includes… sustainability standards for all food and fibre sectors. (2.1.3)
- Incentivise low greenhouse gas agricultural initiatives. (3.3)
- Strengthen the collective resilience of grassroots community collaborations, such as local catchment groups. (4.4)
- Provide startup funding for innovative systems and/or new food and fibre trials. (5.1)
- Resource a Māori-led authority that oversees the distribution of start-up funding to Māori agricultural initiatives that are locally led and sustainable. (6.3)
Connected Policies
Agriculture is an important Business and Food-producing activity that is shaped by the Government in the Economy. It is important for Rural Communities, Animal Welfare, and Trade and Foreign Investment. It is interconnected with and key to safeguarding the natural world, including Climate Change, Land Use and Soils, and Freshwater. A range of risks, including exotic organisms and emerging technologies, are addressed in our Biodiversity and Environmental Regeneration Policy, and Research, Science and Technology Policy. Also related are our policies on Forestry and Marine aquaculture.
