Landscapes and indigenous vegetation planning processes are other areas in which the concerns and interests of those landowners directly impacted are at risk of becoming crowded out.
Despite the utopian view often promoted, shutting down farming across New Zealand will not result in the widespread return of pre-European native flora and fauna.
You just have to look over existing publicly or privately held land where there isn't ongoing active management or funding to get a glimpse of that future.
Without farming, and the associated pest and weed control, grazing and nutrient management, many landscapes we know and love would significantly degrade.
We are more likely to be looking across a horizon of fence-high exotic species, wilding pines, gorse, hieracium and rabbits, than lush native bush.
So from a Federated Farmers' perspective, our role is to ensure farming voices are involved in all local and central government processes from the outset, whether in the community hall, select committee or around the council planning table.
Regional and district plans have a significant impact on farming bottom lines so it is our focus to ensure any policies, rules or restrictions are based on credible, sound and accepted scientific evidence.
From a national perspective, the election and by extension key policy issues such as RMA reform, are going to be top of the agenda.
Whichever party or parties ultimately put together the government will set the tone for farming into the future.
2016 was plagued by too many biosecurity incursions, with velvetleaf topping the farmers' 'frustration list'.
If 2017 is going to be any better, pressure must come on the government to up its game when it comes to managing our borders.
All said, there isn't going to be much breathing space over the next year but we can't afford to take our eyes off the ball.
Despite what you may read, Federated Farmers doesn't have deep pockets.
We rely on farmers paying memberships to ensure we can represent you in all of these arenas, and on dedicated volunteers and staff stepping into these planning and regulation processes on farmers' behalf.
Federated Farmers is designed to be the voice of farmers, backed by policy professionals. Our success is contingent on being able to be across the key issues impacting farming - and this costs money. The only way to achieve positive change is to work together.
- Kim Reilly is Regional Policy Manager for the South Island.