Farmers Challenge Government: "If It's Not OK Here, It's Not OK to Import"

Feb 26
2 min read

New Zealand farmers launch Fair for Farmers campaign demanding end to import double standard

Farmers from across New Zealand's dairy, pork, and sheep sectors have written to the Prime Minister and party leaders this week, demanding an end to the "unfair rules" that allow animal products banned from domestic production to flood the market through imports.

The open letters, which mark the launch of the Fair for Farmers campaign, challenge the Government to address a growing problem: New Zealand farmers are required to meet strict animal welfare standards, while 60% of the pork consumed here comes from countries still using practices like sow stalls, banned in New Zealand since 2016.

"We're Being Thrown Under the Bus"

"We're being asked to meet strict animal welfare standards, while imports produced to standards we banned years ago flood our market," the letters state. "Products that would be illegal to produce on New Zealand farms are routinely sold in our supermarkets, creating an unfair playing field for local farmers."

The farmers argue that the Government is "sacrificing the pork industry to protect theoretical risks while the real damage is happening right now."

Waikato dairy farmer Walt Cavendish, one of the campaign signatories, says farmers across sectors are frustrated. "The welfare gap is growing with many imports not up to the high standards that consumers demand of their Kiwi farmers. Farmers are not able to compete on a level playing field and the high animal welfare standards are ignored on many imported products."

The Fair for Farmers Campaign

The campaign calls for a "Level Playing Field" policy: if a practice isn't acceptable on a New Zealand farm, it shouldn't be acceptable in a New Zealand supermarket.

The farmers point to:

WTO compliance: Trade law confirms measures based on animal welfare are permitted under the public morals exception
International precedent: When the EU and California implemented similar policies, there was no retaliation from trading partners
Strong public support: Over 80% of New Zealanders agree imports should meet domestic animal welfare standards

Trade Concerns "Unfounded"

The open letters directly challenge Government concerns about trade retaliation.

"When the EU and California did similar things, there was no retaliation from affected trading partners," the letters note. "Our trading partners are moving in this direction anyway. If we don't act, we're falling behind, not getting ahead."

The farmers argue that exports to New Zealand are a tiny fraction of these countries' total production, and they already produce higher-welfare products that meet New Zealand standards—more than enough to cover what we import.

The Campaign Ask

The campaign is calling for:

A Level Playing Field policy requiring all animal products sold in New Zealand to meet the same welfare standards applied to domestic producers
Support for the Animal Products (Closing the Welfare Gap) Amendment Bill, currently before Parliament

"The time for talking about this is over. We need action," the letters conclude. "If it's not ok to produce in New Zealand, it's not ok to import and sell."

Get Involved

Read the full open letter.
Sign the Fair for Farmers campaign open letter now.