Budget 2026 confirms $4.77 billion in baseline funding over four years for the Ministry for Primary Industries, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has announced.
The largest new investment is $437 million over four years to accelerate development and use of new tools and technologies to reduce on-farm agricultural emissions. A further $266 million over four years will go to the Primary Sector Growth Fund to invest in projects focused on increasing returns, productivity and opportunities.
Biosecurity and land management also received major allocations. The Budget includes $109 million over three years to tackle the spread of wilding pines, and $40.5 million over four years to support farmer-led catchment groups to improve land management practices.
The food and fibre sector is New Zealand's largest export earner, with exports set to top $62 billion this year. One in every seven people work in food and fibre.