Farmers heading to Fieldays at Mystery Creek next week from 12 to 15 June should make sure a visit to the new Rural Advocacy Hub is near the top of their to-do list.

"This is where all the big conversations about the future of farming are going to be happening," says Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford.

"We’re constantly hearing from farmers that they want to see our different sector groups working more closely together, so we’ve taken that feedback on board.

"We’ve pulled together all the different organisations advocating for farmers and championing their interests as one team, under one roof, for the first time."

Langford says farmers will be able to discuss the issues of greatest concern to the sector; rural banking, emissions pricing, methane targets, and freshwater rules.

The Rural Advocacy Hub, located on site D70 in the Gallagher Building, is a collaboration between Fieldays and Federated Farmers.

Other exhibitors include Groundswell, Young Farmers, Rural Women, Future Farmers NZ, Food & Fibre Youth Network, Farmers Weekly, Ethical Employers, and Fencing Contractors Association NZ.

New Zealand National Fieldays Society chief executive Peter Nation says it’s great to be able to work alongside Federated Farmers to deliver a dedicated advocacy space like this.

"Federated Farmers are New Zealand’s leading rural advocacy organisation, so they were a natural fit for us to partner with to bring the Hub to life," Nation says.

The Hub will be formally opened at 11am on Wednesday 12 June by Agriculture Minister Todd McClay but there will be a range of speakers appearing throughout the week.

"Associate Ministers for Agriculture Andrew Hoggard and Mark Patterson, who will be no strangers to farmers, are both set to address the crowd," Langford says.

"We’re also expecting appearances from the Minister of Transport Simeon Brown, Minister responsible for firearms Nicole McKee, former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, and Labour Party agriculture spokesperson Jo Luxton."

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