Sustainability goals ‘not the end-game’: Luxon lays out National’s intentions at Fieldays

Wednesday, 10 June 2026

Christopher Luxon has said sustainability goals in the agricultural sector are “not the end game” for the National Party.

He said the end game is making sure New Zealand is more prosperous.

The comments came after the Government announced a package of commercial projects to increase land use flexibility.

Prime Minister and National Party leader Christopher Luxon has made his party’s farming intentions clear on day one of the Fieldays at Mystery Creek, Hamilton.

Speaking to media from the annual agricultural trade show, Luxon said sustainability goals in the sector are “not the end game”, but a more prosperous and wealthy New Zealand is.

“Yes, we will deliver on our sustainability goals, but that is not the end game here. The end game here is to make NZ more prosperous and we are unapologetic about that,” he said.

“The way we don’t do that is by… shutting down 30% of our farms and shipping that volume and production offshore.”

Luxon was responding to questions about a package of commercial projects announced by the Government on Wednesday to increase land use flexibility.

More flexible land use, according to the Ministry for Primary Industries, improves productivity and profitability by allowing landowners to make decisions on adapting or modifying how their land is used.

The $143 million package (of which the Government will provide $59m while the sector contributes the rest) will fund six commercial projects, including a partnership with Zespri to boost orchard productivity and a digital fencing investment to boost beef and sheep production.

The biggest chunk of cash (more than $45m) will go to a seven-year project seeking to grow dairy output with improved environmental outcomes.

Asked why it was important to create technology that improves environmental outcomes, Luxon said his Government believes farmers can be more productive and more sustainable at the same time.

But ultimately, he said, it will be up to farmers to decide what tools they do or don’t want want to use.

He pushed back on the suggestion that farmers could be incentivised in a bid to bring down emissions.

“No, we need to grow our economy,” he said. “Our primary focus is more productivity, more growth out of agriculture. We've also got a programme of work around reducing emissions, but that's through our technology.

“Our primary end game here is not just reducing emissions for the sake of reducing emissions, it's about actually growing our economy, and we think we can do both through adopting technology.”

Meanwhile the ACT Party announced an election policy on Wednesday to change New Zealand’s commitments under the Paris climate change agreement. ACT would issue a new Nationally Determined Contribution that commits Kiwi farmers to “realistic targets”, the party’s agriculture spokesperson, Andrew Hoggard, said.

“If the Paris Agreement cannot accommodate targets that reflect the real warming impact of New Zealand's emissions, then New Zealand should leave it.”

Asked about this at Fieldays, Luxon said his coalition Government had decided to remain signed up to the Paris Agreement because exporters would be penalised on the international market if New Zealand left.

He said the Government was committed to achieving New Zealand’s second Nationally Determined Contribution, which aims to reduce emissions by 51-55% compared to 2005 levels by 2035, but dismissed the previous Government’s commitment to achieve a 50% reduction by 2030.

The Climate Change Commission has advised New Zealand is not on track to meet either of those targets.