Government Boosts Funding for Rural Catchment Groups to Support Farmers and Land Management

Farmers are an integral force behind improving land management practices and the Government is backing their efforts by increasing the footprint of rural catchment groups and creating funding certainty, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay and Associate Agriculture Minister Mike Butterick say.

Rural catchment groups have a track record of delivering real results on-the-ground. They are supporting farmers to improve water quality and adapt to change, Mr McClay says.

There are 51 rural catchment groups and collectives being supported across New Zealand, and this year we will be funding 17 regional catchment collectives that bring together individual groups, which will help provide better co-ordination and wider coverage across the country.

The Government is investing $40.5 million over the next four years through the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) to continue backing rural catchment groups and collectives.

There is $13.5 million allocated in the 2026/2027 year to support groups – including some previously supported by the Ministry for the Environment and those backed by the NZ Landcare Trust.

Mr McClay says the Government has taken significant steps to reduce the regulatory burden on farmers, cut red tape and modernise the resource management system.

Taking a common-sense approach is changing the nature of work for Government-funded rural catchment groups.

I’ve asked MPI to work closely with the sector to develop a plan for rural catchment groups that includes longer-term funding arrangements, including for the NZ Landcare Trust, Mr McClay says.

This Government backs their efforts for responsible land management and for the primary industries to keep producing the high-quality, safe and sustainable food and fibre that feeds New Zealand and the world.

Associate Agriculture Minister Mike Butterick says groups currently receiving funding through MPI’s catchment services extension programme will all still receive support.

Rural catchment groups and collectives have been a success story. They deliver environmental gains on-the-ground across the country and that will continue, Mr Butterick says.

Farmers care deeply about the land they work on and their involvement in catchment groups is testament to that.