Federated Farmers partners with NZ Young Farmers to offer free memberships

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Federated Farmers is offering complimentary membership to New Zealand Young Farmers (NZYF).

The move has already had a strong response, with more than 100 Young Farmer members signing up on the first day.

Young Farmers chief executive Lynda Coppersmith said she was thrilled that Federated Farmers had jumped on board as a benefit partner.

Providing members with a direct link to Federated Farmers would assist the sector hugely, she said.

"As an a-political organisation, NZYYF does not promote or get involved in decisions around Government or council policy and regulation, but we have always encouraged our members to have their voice heard on the issues that matter to them."

The Feds membership would allow NZYF to get directly involved with rural advocacy, provincial networks, policy workshops and draft regulations that had impacts on farmers, she said.

"It also gives our members more opportunities on top of what NZ Young Farmers provides for extra governance, mentorships and professional development."

Federated Farmers president Andrew Hoggard said working together across the agricultural sector was crucial to create a prosperous and sustainable sector for the future.

"Allowing Young Farmers members to sign up to our free membership means not only will they be introduced to the work we do at a policy level, but also means our membership will have an extra cohort of young voices to influence our work."

Many Federated Farmers' members start out as members of Young Farmers, Hoggard said.

"I did - so this is a natural progression, basically it just means you are getting older!"

NZ Young Farmers' members would have access to Rural Market Place to get exclusive member deals, weekly Federated Farmers' email content, exclusive member discounts and have provincial Young Farmers representative voting rights.