The New Zealand Taxpayers' Union is slamming the Green Party's "farming for the future" policy, which would introduce a levy on fertiliser and cost taxpayers $297,000,000 over three years to subsidise "regenerative and organic farming methods".

Taxpayers' Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says, "Agriculture will be a key plank in New Zealand's economic recovery. The last thing our farming sector needs is a tax on efficiency in the form of a levy on fertiliser. Fertilisers help farmers produce more with less land, limiting the impact of agriculture on our outstanding natural landscapes. The Greens should be happy about that!"

"That the revenue from this tax will be spent on promoting 'vegan plant-based practices' adds insult to injury. The Government should focus on allowing the economy to recover, not wasting money on trendy environmental schemes."

Taxpayers have already invested more than $10,000,000 in a 'Messages From New Zealand' campaign to promote our exports worldwide. It makes no sense to burden our agricultural sector just as we're relying on it to protect New Zealand from a worldwide economic downturn."

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