Young Farmers still hopeful despite growing pressure

Cheyne Gillooly says young people still want to farm “as much now, if not more than ever”, but are looking for new ways into ownership and modern farming systems. Supplied.

As New Zealand heads towards the 2026 general election, New Zealand Young Farmers chief executive Cheyne Gillooly says one of the biggest frustrations for the next generation is not a lack of passion for farming, but a lack of policy that supports them to succeed.

Gillooly says young people remain deeply committed to the food and fibre sector, despite increasing financial, educational and structural barriers.

“It would be great to see a continued focus on celebrating the rural economy and what it means to New Zealand and to be a New Zealander,” he said.

“Our members are very proud to be part of an industry that feeds people, houses people, clothes people, and is intrinsically linked to the New Zealand identity.”

But while politicians across parties often speak positively about the rural sector, Gillooly says that support is not flowing through into practical policy as parties begin shaping their rural agendas ahead of November’s election.

“What we’re not seeing is that translate into policies that actually support the next generation coming through.”

Pathways into ownership

Gillooly said one of the biggest issues facing young farmers is the ability to access and build wealth within the sector.

“The signal changes around KiwiSaver so people can buy a farm property are an interesting start, but I think they miss the wider problem.”

Instead, he believes more attention should be placed on pathways such as employee share schemes and earn-in ownership structures.

“We’re still not addressing things like encouraging employee share schemes, earn-in and earn-out farm ownership structures,” he said.

Those issues, he says, are solvable.

“With a little bit of effort, they could be resolved for the benefit of the country.”

Despite the challenges, Gillooly says young people are still ambitious about farming and ownership.

“There are still pathways into ownership. People are still sharemilking, still buying property, still finding their way in.”

‘Young people do want to farm’

Gillooly pushed back strongly on the idea that younger generations are losing interest in agriculture.

“Young people want to get into farming as much now, if not more than ever,” he said.

“What they’re saying is they don’t want to farm the way it’s always been done.”

Instead, he says younger farmers are looking for innovation, productivity and more balanced lifestyles.

“They want innovative ways into ownership. They want to invest in technology and productivity. They want multiple revenue streams on farm and better lifestyles.”

“They don’t want long hours for low returns.”

He believes the industry itself also needs to change how it talks about farming.

“As an industry, we need to stop talking the industry down and stop talking people out of it.”

Education system failing rural pathways

Gillooly was also highly critical of the education system’s treatment of vocational and agricultural learning, saying it continues to be designed through an urban lens.

“The complete lack of focus in our education sector around vocational training, and what it actually means to train people to work and live and thrive in rural New Zealand, has been really disappointing.”

He said practical rural training programmes were producing excellent outcomes but were not properly recognised within current funding systems.

“The training programmes in the rural sector actually get people out on the land, get them engaged, and have very high conversion into employment.”

Gillooly said the structure of the funding and credit system itself was part of the problem.

“The fact that TEC (The tertiary Education Commission) and NZQA (New Zealand Qualifications Authority) still insist on capping the number of credits that can be earned in one year is a real issue,” he said.

“The system assumes desk-based learning and ignores the fact that practical learning allows people to learn multiple concepts at once.”

He pointed to programmes such as Growing Future Farmers as an example.

“In one day somebody might learn time management, cooking, hazard identification, day planning, animal management, fencing, diesel mechanics. That’s just a normal day.”

“But the NZQA system says it’s impossible to earn more than 100 credits in a year.”

Gillooly said programmes delivering practical rural training were also carrying a significant pastoral care burden that was not recognised in funding models.

“Those programmes are only funded per credit delivered, and none of the pastoral care can be recognised in the funding model,” he said.

“They take young people, often from difficult backgrounds, and teach them how to be physically fit, prepare meals, manage routines, clean, work hard and contribute. Those things are vital and often missed.”

Yet despite the broader support provided, he said they were funded the same as urban classroom-based programmes.

“They’re funded the same way as an urban trades academy where students arrive at 8.30am and leave at 3pm.”

“It makes no sense to me.”

Gillooly also questioned why agriculture continues to sit on the fringe of many school curriculums.

“The few ag teachers we do have often have to secure their own funding and justify programmes against things like rugby or overseas trips,” he said.

“If teachers take these programmes on, it’s often not recognised as career development or additional work. They’re expected to do it for free.”

He believes schools should be better supported to introduce agriculture and food production into classrooms and communities.

“Why isn’t there a fund where schools and teachers can apply to introduce rural or agricultural programmes into schools?” he said.

“Teaching kids how to grow food, bringing local farmers into schools, running agri-based initiatives. There are so many things that could connect students to their communities and career pathways.”

“At the moment it just feels shoved in a corner, ignored and forgotten about.”

“The food and fibre sector is one of the most entrepreneurial, technology-led and globally connected sectors we have,” he said.

“If you are young and ambitious, you can go so far in this industry.”

He said agriculture could also provide an important pathway for students who struggled with traditional classroom learning.

“Agriculture is a great pathway because it gives them a reason to engage with maths, science, biology and communication.”

A hopeful generation

Despite the frustrations, Gillooly says there is still strong optimism among young farmers.

“That’s because they just get on and get things done.”

For him, the wider issue is whether government policy is prepared to recognise and support what is already happening successfully in rural communities.

“This sector doesn’t care who you are or who you’ve been. It cares whether you’re willing to give it a go, back yourself, be part of a community, support others, work hard and be innovative.”

“If you do that, you can go anywhere in our sector.”