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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: March Quarter 2025

  • Farmer confidence in the broader agri economy has risen for the third consecutive quarter off the back of improved sentiment among sheep and beef farmers.
  • Among farmers with a positive outlook on the agri economy, higher commodity prices (62%), and falling interest rates (22%) were the major sources of optimism. Government intervention/ policies (37%) and rising input costs (33%) were the major concerns identified by those looking less favourably at the year ahead.
  • Farmer expectations for their own farm business performance over the next 12 months were back marginally from last quarter but remain strong overall. Sheep and beef farmers were markedly more positive about the prospects of their own businesses than last quarter while dairy farmers and growers were less positive.
  • Farmer investment intentions were relatively unchanged from last quarter with more farmers expecting to increase investment in the year ahead than those expecting investment to reduce.
  • The number of farmers self-assessing their own farm business as ‘unviable’ rose to 5% (from 4% previously) while there was also a lift in the number of farmers assessing their own operation as ‘easily viable’ (29% from 22% last quarter).