OpinionOpinion byJacqueline RowarthAdjunct Professor Lincoln University·The Country·25 Jun, 2026 01:59 AM5 mins to read‌Do farmers hold too much sway in Parliament, or does their impact reflect it? Photo / 123rfTHE FACTSMPI’s June 2026 SOPI report found the food and fibre sector made up 82% of New Zealand’s goods exports in the year to March 2026.The report also found the food and fibre sector accounts for 12.4% of employment in New Zealand.The sector also accounts for over 15% of New Zealand’s gross domestic product (GDP).Do farmers’ votes have a disproportionate influence in New Zealand politics? Should they?

The statement has been made in a recent Newsroom article that the disproportionate effect is historical and continuing – that the number of farmers in Parliament has been three times as high as