Federated Farmers vice president Colin Hurst has put his name forward for the national presidency, alongside challengers Mark Hooper and Wayne Langford with the contest decided at the annual general meeting on Thursday.

“I’m honoured and privileged to put my name forward,” he says.

He has been involved with Federated Farmers for 25 years, since coming up through the ranks at his local Waimate branch in South Canterbury.

“It gets addictive, this stuff – the type of people that get involved in Federated Farmers are generally community type people wanting to do better for their fellow farmers.”

The AGM caps a week that begins with the Primary Industries Awards on Tuesday and Wednesday.

“Just about every sector group wants to have their own awards at the moment, so it’d be nice to rationalise things a bit.”

The two-day conference is sold out, with Prime Minister Chris Luxon, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins and the Minister of Agriculture Todd McClay all attending.

Hurst’s portfolio is freshwater, and he wants to cement gains made under the current government. He says farmers are still dealing with the previous national policy statement brought in by David Parker, and that consenting has become an ‘absolute nightmare’ for some Canterbury farmers facing red tape from ECan.

“Freshwater farm plans, or as Federated Farmers like to call them, farm plans, are an absolute key part to getting farmers to be compliant with the rules.”

He says farm planning offers more flexibility than a resource consent, which he calls a blunt instrument.

He says Feds is an advocacy organisation, not activist. He describes collaboration as his mantra.

“I’m really keen that we talk to the environmental side.

“Sometimes they’re not too happy with what we do, but I think there’s some genuine middle ground there.”

Hurst says the organisation is well prepared to work with a left-leaning coalition, having run sessions with the Labour Party over the past three years.

“I think whatever the outcome of this election, Federated Farmers are well prepared to get a better deal for farmers.”

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