• Our Research
    • Research Strategy
    • Research Sites
    • Current Research Projects
    • Research Results
    • Research Collaborations
    • Research Resources
    • Seed Industry Research Centre
    Current Research
    Current Research
    Research Results
    Research Results
  • Resources
    • Biosecurity
    • Crop Action
    • Nutrient Management
    • Maize
    • Templates and Calculators
    • Cereals
    • Weeds
    • Pests
    • Seeds
    • Diseases
    • News
    • Environment
    • Soil
    • Schools
    Podcast
    Podcast
    Environment and Compliance
    Environment and Compliance
  • Levies & Returns
    • Arable Crops Levy
    • Maize Levy
    • Cereal Silage Levy
    • Farmer Annual Return Form
    • Wholesaler Annual Return Form
    Levies
    Levies
    Annual Returns
    Annual Returns
  • Events
  • News
  • About Us
    • Governance and growers
    • Business Strategy
    • Our People
    • Careers
    • Growers Leading Change
    • Women in Arable
    • Arable Ys
    • Arable Kids
    • Arable Research Groups (ARGs)
    • New Zealand Grown Grains
    Our People
    Our People
    Growers Leading Change
    Growers Leading Change
  • Ask FAR AI
  • Weather
  • Log In
Ask FAR AI
Weather
Log In
  • Homepage
  • Resources
  • Referendum Proves Strong Support For Far

Referendum proves strong support for FAR

Tom Rudge injection

FAR levy payers have declared their support for continued investment in research and extension for their industry. 

The final referendum votes are in and the results are clear… cropping farmers strongly support continued investment in research and extension for their industry.

At 12 o’clock today, the Foundation for Arable Research (FAR) received the ‘declaration of result’ following its sixth referendum of growers, which has determined significant support for the levy funded organisation. FAR will now make an application to the Minister for these levy orders to be put in place.

Electionz.com Ltd were contracted to administer the referendum which, over the past month, has given arable, maize and cereal silage growers the opportunity to have their say on whether or not they wish to continue investing in industry good research through FAR.

The FAR referendum covers three separate levy orders, and support for each of them is equal to the strong result achieved in the 2011 referendum. The voter return percentage was 31.2% of eligible voters. Results were: Arable crops, 88% support by number of votes and 87% by production area; Maize, 79% support by number of votes and 74% by production area, and Cereal silage, 69% support by number of votes and 66% by production area.

Alison Stewart, FAR’s Chief Executive says these results are a really pleasing endorsement of the hard work and commitment of growers, FAR staff and industry colleagues.

“We work hard to develop research programmes that meet the needs of our growers. Through feedback from our regional Arable Research Groups and Research and Development Advisory Committee, we identify areas of importance, and develop a balanced portfolio of research projects that address both short and long term needs of the industry.

“In the last six years, FAR has increased its overall revenue by leveraging growers levy money with other external funds and this has enabled us to deliver a much broader suite of R&D activities that includes biosecurity, agronomy, pest management, environmental research and the establishment of a new knowledge exchange platform called ‘Growers Leading Change’. This investment continues to safeguard the future of the arable industry by maintaining productivity and profitability with a lower environmental footprint and securing our social license to operate”.

Related Resources

09 October 2025

Farm-saved seed royalty system

Farmers who save and replant legally protected cereal varieties can voluntarily declare their usage and pay a breeder royalty. The declaration system applies to all farm saved seed barley, and to farmer saved wheat if the resultant wheat crop does not pass through an end-point royalty collection agent. 

Read more
09 October 2025

Chlorpyrifos withdrawal

The Environmental Protection Authority (“EPA”) published a Notice of Direction Prohibiting the Use and Requiring Disposal of Chlorpyrifos Containing Substances in the New Zealand Gazette on 1 September 2025.

Read more
09 October 2025

Black-grass update

Growers are reminded to report any grass weeds that appear unfamiliar or could resemble black-grass (Alopecurus myosuroides). Early reporting remains one of our strongest tools for protecting the industry.

Read more
09 October 2025

From the Ground Up Spring 2025

Welcome to the spring 2025 edition of From the Ground Up

Read more
09 October 2025

FAR Board Vacancies

The FAR Nominations and Remunerations Committee (NRC) is calling for nominations to fill four grower director positions on the FAR Board from 1 January 2026. 

Read more
09 October 2025

Guidelines for grower travel applications

FAR levy payers can apply for a grant to attend international industry-related conferences/workshops/events, etc. Find the guidelines here. 

Read more
09 October 2025

Chlorpyrifos approvals revoked

The EPA decision-making committee has determined that the risks associated with the use of chlorpyrifos outweigh the benefits.

Read more
09 October 2025

Maize levy concludes

Growers, maize seed companies and maize seed merchants will not have to pay the maize biosecurity levy for transactions conducted after 1st July 2025.

Read more
09 October 2025

Combine harvester workshops win technology innovation award

FAR combine harvester workshops have taken out the Technology Innovation Award at the 2025 Primary Industries New Zealand Award Ceremony.

Read more
09 October 2025

Congratulations Dame Alison Stewart

The Board and staff of the Foundation for Arable Research are delighted to congratulate FAR CEO, Alison Stewart, on her appointment as a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit.

Read more

Ask FAR AI

Ask FAR is a new way to get information from the FAR website. Just ‘Ask FAR’ a question and you’ll get a quick, accurate response based on FAR research and resources. Ask FAR also provides links to the original documents for more information. It’s quick, easy and reliable. Ask FAR now!

Start Chatting
  • Research
  • Levies and Returns
  • Resources
  • Events
  • News
  • Contact Us
  • Schools
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use

©2022 Foundation for Arable Research