Colin Hurst Elected as New President of Federated Farmers in NZ

Colin Hurst, a prominent mixed arable and dairy producer from South Canterbury, has been elected as the new national president of Federated Farmers in New Zealand. Hurst, who previously served as vice president for three years, succeeds Wayne Langford, a Tasman dairy farmer. Hurst's leadership will focus on reducing production costs and pushing for deregulation of the Resource Management Act (RMA).

Hurst manages a 700-hectare family estate in the Waimate region, which includes 450 hectares of arable cropping and 250 hectares of irrigation-supported cattle grazing. The Hurst family recently expanded their operations by acquiring a nearby dairy farm. Hurst aims to amplify the grassroots farmgate voice in legislative arenas and prioritize cost reductions in farming inputs.

His agenda also includes accelerating the regulatory approval of advanced on-farm technologies such as water storage systems and new agrichemical ingredients. Additionally, he plans to foster localized conservation partnerships and optimize local government structures.

Wayne Langford, the outgoing leader, is noted for his successful tenure, during which several key legislative improvements were made, including biogenic methane emissions target reviews and freshwater management guidelines. Langford emphasized the importance of RMA reform, describing current planning frameworks as a major barrier to agricultural productivity.

Sandra Faulkner has been elected as the new national vice president of Federated Farmers, focusing on RMA and local government overhauls. Chris Dillon joins as arable chairperson, and newly elected at-large member Greg Anderson rounds out the leadership team alongside returning board members.