New Zealand’s traditional farmers are walking away from dairying in their droves, put off by a costly ‘avalanche of regulations’ and poor work-life balance. Meanwhile, big syndicates and kiwi fruit growers are buying up the land, and there’s no way into the industry for young farmers.
Staring down a $700,000 (€415,000) barrel of compliance, regulation and other costs was the last straw for New Zealand dairy farmer Andrew McLeod.
In May 2020, he sold up and walked away from dairying and a farm in Welcome Bay that had been in his family for more than 50 years.
Andrew is not alone. Farm leaders in New Zealand say the “family farm is struggling to survive” amid an “avalanche of regulations” and syndicates motivated by money.
