Announcing the policies in Gisborne today, party leader Judith Collins says the primary sector has been taken for granted and its performance is being hindered by newly introduced regulations.
“When we form the next Government, our pledge is to ensure that our agricultural policy focuses on allowing farmers the opportunity to farm their way to better outcomes, rather than being regulated into oblivion,” she said.
The pandemic, which has decimated the earning capacity of tourism and international education, shows the sector cannot be taken for granted.
National is proposing to review the newly introduced freshwater regulations, the treatment of forestry in the Emissions Trading Scheme and changes to the Zero Carbon Bill.
Collins says this will help rebuild farmer confidence, which she says has declined under the current Government.
It will promote water storage, build infrastructure to connect communities and replace the Resource Management Act (RMA) with an Environmental Standards Act and Planning and Development Act.
The party proposes pursuing access to markets in Asia, a free trade agreement with the USA, conclude trade agreements with the UK and European Union and progress the Pacific Alliance, Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and ASEAN Free Trade Agreement upgrade.
On the labour front it will allow skilled and seasonal workers into New Zealand.