Federated Farmers

• Business / Trading Name: Federated Farmers of New Zealand Incorporated (often simply “Federated Farmers”).

• Company Number: 215853 (Incorporated Society registration number).

• NZBN: 9429043187874 (as listed on the incorporated societies register)

• Entity Type: Incorporated Society (non-governmental membership organisation). It operates as a not-for-profit federation of provincial farmers’ associations.

• Business Classification: Independent rural advocacy and lobbying organization representing farming interests.

• Industry Category: Agriculture (industry advocacy). Federated Farmers is the peak lobby group for the agricultural sector (dairy, meat, wool, arable, etc.).

• Year Founded: 1944 – Federated Farmers of NZ Inc was formally registered on 30 November 1944. (Predecessor NZ Farmers’ Union dates back to 1899–1902.)

• Addresses: Head Office – Level 11, 38 Waring Taylor Street, Wellington Central, Wellington, 6011

. Postal – PO Box 715, Wellington 6140. (The federation also maintains regional offices; e.g. an administration base in Hamilton and regional branch offices.)

• Website URL: Main site –

http://www.fedfarm.org.nz

(provides news, membership info, and resources).

• LinkedIn URL: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/federated-farmers-of-new-zealand (Official company page on LinkedIn).

• Company Hub NZ URL: (N/A – Federated Farmers, as an incorporated society, is not listed as a company on CompanyHub. However, its subsidiaries were listed: e.g. Services (Federated Farmers of NZ) Ltd and FedsTel Ltd, now removed.)

• NZ Companies Office URL: https://app.businessregisters.govt.nz/sber-businesses/viewInstance/view.html?id=229a78e05307b6d8bf1b29667f00cb17208b0f3474908ea4&_timestamp=669215867607458 (Incorporated societies register)

• Social Media URLs: Twitter(X) – https://twitter.com/FedFarmers (handle: @FedFarmers). Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/FederatedFarmersNZ. YouTube – channel for Fed Farmers (for media clips).

• Ultimate Holding Company: None – Federated Farmers is a standalone member-owned society (no parent company).

• Key Shareholders: None – It has no shareholders (member-funded). Ownership rests with its farmer members (≈13,000 members as of 2021).

• Leadership: The federation is governed by a National Board of farmer representatives. National President: Wayne Langford (elected 2023). Chief Executive: Terry Copeland. (Past presidents include Katie Milne (2017–2020), the first female president ; Andrew Hoggard (2020–2023); and others.) The President and Board set policy direction, while the CEO leads day-to-day operations.

• Staff: ~50–60 staff nationally, including policy advisors, lawyers, and field officers. Notably, some senior staff have government experience – e.g. Gavin Forrest, hired as Policy & Advocacy GM in 2016, was previously a government minister’s adviser at MPI. The organisation’s staff are split between a policy team (mainly in Wellington), an admin/membership team (in Hamilton), and regional field officers.

• Past Employees: Conor English – former CEO (2008–2014), brother of ex-PM Bill English, had also been a Parliamentary advisor. Don Nicolson – past President (2008–2011), later entered politics (ACT Party). Katie Milne – past President (2017–20), first woman in the role. Andrew Hoggard – past President (2020–23), resigned to run for Parliament. Many past leaders have been influential in politics or industry after their tenure.

• Clients and Industries/Sectors Represented: Federated Farmers’ “clients” are its farmer members across all primary sectors. It represents dairy farmers, sheep/beef farmers, arable crop growers, deer farmers, goat farmers, high-country station owners, rural butchers, etc. The federation has six industry groups: Dairy, Meat & Wool, Arable, Goats, High Country, and Rural Butchers – ensuring each farming sector’s interests are advocated. It also has 24 provincial associations for regional issues. In essence, it represents the entire agriculture and pastoral farming industry.

• Publicly Disclosed Engagements: Federated Farmers regularly participates in government consultations and makes formal submissions on policies and laws affecting rural areas. For example, it has submitted on regulations (e.g. the new Incorporated Societies Act rules ) and appears before Parliamentary select committees on legislation (environmental regulations, water policy, climate change, etc.). It was a member of the multi-stakeholder Land and Water Forum advising on freshwater policy, and a partner in the He Waka Eke Noa primary sector climate action partnership (2019–2022). Its engagements with ministers are not publicly listed in a lobby register (NZ has no formal lobbying register), but media frequently report Fed Farmers’ meetings and comments on policy proposals.

• Affiliations: Domestically, Federated Farmers often collaborates with sector bodies like DairyNZ and Beef + Lamb NZ (levy-funded boards) on common issues (e.g. joint advocacy on climate and biosecurity). It is affiliated with or has partnerships with rural service organizations – for instance, it is a member of initiatives like “Farm Without Harm” (health and safety in farming). Internationally, Federated Farmers is connected to the World Farmers’ Organisation (WFO) through New Zealand’s involvement and engages with global agricultural forums. It is also part of the Global Research Alliance on agricultural greenhouse gases via NZ’s representation. These links help it share best practices and coordinate with farm lobbies overseas.

• Sponsorships/Collaborations: The organisation is supported by corporate partners in the agribusiness sector. For example, FMG (Farmers’ Mutual Group) lists Federated Farmers as a partner, reflecting collaboration in rural insurance and risk management. Other sponsors/partners include rural cooperatives like Farmlands and Ruralco, and agri-supply companies. Federated Farmers itself sponsors or supports events and initiatives (e.g. it partnered with Farmlands and media on the “Post Your Support” campaign for flood-affected farmers ). These sponsorships provide mutual benefits – funding for Fed Farmers and exposure or goodwill for companies among the farming community.

• Events (Organised by this Organisation): Federated Farmers holds an Annual General Meeting and National Conference for its members, where policy resolutions are debated. It also initiated the Primary Industries Awards – an event recognizing excellence in agriculture (launched at its 2019 conference, with a gala dinner sponsored by FMG). Federated Farmers’ provincial branches host local field days, workshops, and candidate meetings (e.g. election forums for rural communities). Historically, the federation has organized farmer protest actions when warranted – for instance, it helped coordinate the 2003 “Fart Tax” protest tractor convoy to Parliament (opposing an agricultural emissions levy). It also frequently co-hosts seminars with industry groups on topics like environmental regulations and farm economics.

• Political Donations: None (organizational) – Federated Farmers as an entity is not known to make donations to political parties. No donations from the federation appear in NZ Electoral Commission records. (Instead, it exercises influence via lobbying and advocacy, not direct funding.) That said, Federated Farmers historically has had an unofficial alignment with the center-right – at its founding in 1944 it developed a close (but informal) connection with the National Party. Individual farmers and some provincial branches may donate in a personal capacity, but the national body’s role is advocacy rather than campaign finance.

• Controversies: Federated Farmers has faced criticism, particularly from environmental groups, over its stances. It staunchly opposed measures to regulate farm emissions – e.g. dubbing a proposed emissions levy the “fart tax” in 2003 and helping force the government to drop it. It has been accused of downplaying the agriculture sector’s impact on water pollution; freshwater ecologist Dr. Mike Joy likened some industry lobby arguments to the tobacco industry’s science denial. Fed Farmers responded that blanket criticism of dairy farmers is unfair. The federation’s influence on climate policy has been controversial – Greenpeace New Zealand charged that Federated Farmers engaged in “predatory delay” of climate action and fostered climate denial in the 2000s. Internally, the rise of breakaway group Groundswell NZ in 2021 highlighted some farmers’ frustration, accusing Fed Farmers and other bodies of being too conciliatory with government. Federated Farmers leaders have also occasionally drawn fire for provocative comments (e.g. past President Don Nicolson’s skepticism of climate change drew public criticism ). These controversies underscore the tension between the federation’s advocacy for farmers’ economic interests and the broader public push for environmental and social accountability.

• Other Notable Information: Federated Farmers publishes a quarterly magazine National Farming Review and a weekly e-newsletter Friday Flash to keep members informed. It also provides services like an employment contracts service – its staff draft standard farm employment agreements, which many NZ farmers use (this practical service boosts its membership appeal). The federation takes pride in NZ’s subsidy-free farming model and often highlights that New Zealand agriculture thrives without government subsidies, unlike many overseas counterparts. In recent years, membership has been declining (from ~43,000 in 1971 to ~13,000 in 2021 ) due to farm amalgamations and farmers questioning the value of membership. Federated Farmers conducts a well-known Farm Confidence Survey of its members each season, which is regularly reported in the media as a barometer of rural economic sentiment. Overall, the organisation remains a high-profile stakeholder in New Zealand’s public discourse on agriculture.

Spot anything in this entry that is wrong? Please either leave a comment at the end or email, in confidence: bryce@democracyproject.nz