How farmers see the future

Rural Confidence Survey

For over fifteen years we have worked together with an independent research organisation to have access to up to date insights into what the farming community is thinking and how they respond to the ever changing conditions. To do this, we conduct a Rural Confidence Survey, interviewing an average of 450 farmers across New Zealand on a quarterly basis. Monitoring outlook and general sentiment in the country's major agricultural industries, it is one of the most robust studies of its type.

VIEW LATEST RESULTS

Latest Survey Results: June Quarter 2024

  • Farmer confidence in the broader agri economy has dipped further into negative territory following consecutive increases in the previous two quarters. 
  • This fall comes despite a lift in farmers’ expectations for their own businesses with primary producers across all sectors now more optimistic about the prospects for their own farm business performance.
  • Sheep and beef farmers remain the most pessimistic about the performance of their own businesses, but recorded the largest rise on this measure.
  • Among farmers with a negative outlook on the agri economy, higher input prices (56 per cent), lower commodity prices (40 per cent), and rising interest rates (37 per cent) were the major sources of concern. Rising commodity prices (36 per cent), government intervention/ policies (24 per cent) and increasing demand (23 per cent) were the top three reasons identified by those looking favourably at the year ahead.
  • The number of farmers self-assessing their own farm business as unviable decreased from last quarter and now sits at seven per cent (nine per cent previously).
  • The net reading for farmer investment intentions also rose marginally but remains at net negative levels overall.