Source: Federated Farmers
National’s plan to introduce national standards for river gravel extraction and on-farm quarries will cut costs, delays and uncertainty for farmers, Federated Farmers says.
Colin Hurst, Federated Farmers president, says the National Party’s announcement today delivers on two of the 10 national permitted activity standards the organisation called for in its 2026 Election Platform.
“We asked for a set of nationwide rules for everyday farming activities to get rid of needless red tape and cost, and today’s announcement is a significant step in the right direction,” Hurst says.
“Gravel extraction and farm quarries are both practical issues that farmers deal with regularly, so having clear national rules would make a real difference.
“Farmers shouldn’t have to navigate an expensive and time-consuming resource consent process simply to access gravel they need for a farm track, or to remove gravel from a river where it has built up and increased flood risk.”
Under the proposed national standard for river gravel extraction, gravel removal would be a permitted activity where farmers meet a set of standard conditions.
Hurst says this is particularly important for rural communities that can be badly affected when rivers are not properly maintained.
“New Zealand has always had to manage its rivers. Gravel is constantly being washed down our catchments, and if it builds up unchecked, riverbeds rise and the risk of flooding increases.
“Recent flooding in North Canterbury and Wairarapa has shown just how serious the consequences can be for rural communities when rivers aren’t maintained effectively.
“Gravel extraction is one of the tools we have to manage that build-up, while also providing a valuable source of aggregate for construction and infrastructure.”
Hurst says a national standard does not mean imposing identical rules on every river.
“There should absolutely be strong environmental safeguards, and the rules need to recognise that rivers and catchments are different.
“A national standard can set different conditions for different types of rivers and catchments, and there can still be places where extraction is prohibited.
“The important thing is that if you meet the rules, you know you can get on with the work without being dragged through a costly, long-winded resource consent process.”
Federated Farmers has also long advocated for simpler rules around small-scale quarries on farms.
Hurst says many farmers have historically sourced gravel, sand or stone from their own properties for farm tracks and other essential infrastructure, but consenting requirements can make that uneconomic.
“Farmers need aggregate for their tracks, gateways, stock yards and to protect areas where livestock movement can damage the soil.
“Many farmers have perfectly good sources of aggregate on their own farms, but the cost and uncertainty of getting a resource consent can mean they’re forced to buy material from somewhere else, which makes absolutely no sense.
“If a farmer can safely extract a limited amount of aggregate from their own property while meeting clear environmental conditions, they should be able to do that without unnecessary consenting costs.”
The proposed national standard would set conditions such as maximum extraction areas and volumes, while retaining the ability to restrict or prohibit quarrying in sensitive locations.
Hurst says the two announcements – made today at the South Island Election Conference – show the value of moving towards national rules for routine farming activities.
“We’ve been saying for a long time that farmers need certainty and sensible rules, not a different consenting regime depending on which side of a council boundary they happen to be operating on.
“This is exactly the sort of practical reform we want to see more of.”
Hurst says Federated Farmers wants to see the same approach taken in eight other areas: farm plans, vegetable growing, on-farm water storage, drain maintenance, effluent management, fertiliser application, wetland restoration, and small- and medium-scale solar.
“The great news is that the National Party has also already committed to make small-scale solar projects a permitted activity if re-elected to Government in November.
“We want to see the same approach applied across the other areas now, because that’s how we can start taking real cost and complexity out of farming while maintaining strong environmental standards.”