Government Supports NZ Young Farmers with $645,000 Boost for Clubs and Wellbeing

The Government is supporting the next generation of young farmers, growers, and rural leaders by backing NZ Young Farmers’ national network of clubs, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says.

NZ Young Farmers do a huge amount of good in rural communities. We want to support their efforts to help them do even more, Mr McClay says.

The Government is committing $60,000 to provide one-off grants of $1,000 to each of the 60 young farmers clubs across the country.

The funding will help back the important work of small volunteer committees which drive organisation, membership, and event planning at each club The committees are essential to the club’s ongoing success, their ability to attract new members and event sponsorship, and provide support to young people in rural communities.

NZ Young Farmers is a non-profit with a long history of connecting, nurturing, and empowering young people in rural communities.

Its clubs provide a place for young people to develop leadership skills, network with like-minded people, and make lifelong friends, Mr McClay says.

The organisation is part of the fabric of rural New Zealand and will mark its centenary next year. This funding will be a boost for clubs planning local celebrations.

Mr McClay says the Government is also backing the wellbeing of young people in rural communities through the Rural Wellbeing Fund.

NZ Young Farmers was one of 18 community-based organisations and initiatives to receive funding through the Government’s Rural Wellbeing Fund.

It’s receiving $585,000 to ramp up new initiatives, focusing on physical, mental, and financial wellbeing, leveraging its network of 60 clubs, Mr McClay says.

The primary industries are the backbone of the economy, supporting local jobs and communities, and this Government is committed to building the future for the sector to succeed.