Right now we’re forced to play by a different set of rules than our overseas competitors and that’s not right. • Pork: Over 60% of pork in NZ is imported. Much of it comes from the US and Canada, where sow stalls (metal crates that prevent mother pigs from even turning around) are still legal. We banned those here in 2016. • Eggs: In 2023, over half of our liquid egg imports came from countries like China and Australia, where battery cages are still standard practice. NZ farmers moved away from battery cages in 2023 at significant personal cost. • Wool: Nearly all wool imported to NZ in 2022 came from Australia, where mulesing (cutting skin from live lambs without anaesthetic) is common. In New Zealand, doing that can land you a criminal conviction.

We are calling for a "Level Playing Field" law. • The Bill: MP Steve Abel has already tabled a member's bill (the Animal Products (Closing the Welfare Gap) Amendment Bill) that would empower the Minister to set these standards. • The Goal: We want all political parties to commit to this common-sense policy. If it’s not ok to produce in New Zealand, it should not be sold in New Zealand.

It levels the playing field. We’ve led the way in animal welfare, but by allowing lower-standard imports to fill our shelves, we’re creating a 'welfare gap.' We should be supporting our local producers’ commitment to high standards, not forcing them to compete with practices that Kiwis have already rejected. • Economic Boost: Research (https://www.animalpolicyinternational.org/vision-into-action-applying-animal-welfare-standards-in-import-policy)shows this policy could grow the domestic pork industry by up to 14.1%, adding between $17.2m and $29m to our economy every year. • Certainty: We can invest in higher-welfare systems knowing we won't be undercut by cheap low-standard imports.

Yes. We don't have to choose between trade and values. • WTO Rules: The World Trade Organisation (GATT Article XX) specifically allows countries to restrict imports to protect "public morals." For example, the landmark EC-Seal Products case proved that animal welfare is a valid moral ground for trade limits. • Our FTAs: Legal experts have reviewed New Zealand’s Free Trade Agreements and found no provisions that prevent us from holding imports to our own domestic welfare standards. If they follow our biosecurity rules, they can follow our welfare rules.

We wouldn't be first. This is a growing global trend: • California (Prop 12): A state law that bans the sale of pork or eggs from animals kept in cruel confinement—no matter where they were raised. • The EU: They already require imported meat to meet their specific standards for slaughter and stunning. • Global Bans: Many countries already ban the import of products like fur, foie gras, or animal-tested cosmetics on moral grounds.

Highly unlikely. Trade experts and history show that setting fair standards for our own market is a recognised right, not a reason for a trade war. • Exporters are already ready: A supply chain study (https://www.animalpolicyinternational.org/vision-into-action-applying-animal-welfare-standards-in-import-policy)by Animal Policy International found that major exporters (like those in the EU and Australia) already produce higher-welfare pork and cage-free eggs for other markets. They don't need to change their whole system for us; they just need to send their "best" products to New Zealand to match our rules. • No evidence of "tit-for-tat": We looked at history. When California passed Proposition 12 or when the EU banned imports of meat from animals not stunned before slaughter, there was no trade retaliation. Export volumes to those countries continued to grow as they always had. • Fairness is a global trend: Countries all over the world are realising that you can’t have high standards at home while ignoring them at the border. By making this move, New Zealand is simply joining a global shift toward Fair Trade.

Barely. An independent analysis (https://www.animalpolicyinternational.org/vision-into-action-applying-animal-welfare-standards-in-import-policy)by Animal Policy International found that requiring imported pork to meet our welfare standards would cost the average Kiwi consumer just 25 cents per week. For a typical household, that’s about $0.66—roughly 0.22% of the weekly food shop. It’s a tiny price to pay to stop offshoring our industries to lower-standard competitors.

Common sense doesn’t happen by accident - it happens when we stand together. Whether you’re on the farm or in the city, this is about the standards we all want for New Zealand. If a practice is too cruel for our backyard, it shouldn't be on our dinner plates. We need a united front to close this welfare gap and ensure a future that is Fair for Farmers. Here is how we win together: • Sign the Open Letter: Show the Minister that New Zealand stands united. Every signature matters. • Vote with Your Voice: This is an election year. Ask your local candidates if they commit to a "Level Playing Field" policy. Let them know this issue will influence your vote. • Share the Message: Are you a producer being undercut, or a consumer frustrated by misleading labels? Your story is our most powerful tool. Share this campaign with your friends, family, and industry networks. We have the facts, the legal path, and the public support. Now, we just need to show the numbers. Join us today and help make our trade laws reflect our values.

Fair for Farmers is a farmer-led campaign in conjunction with Animal Policy International, calling on the New Zealand Government to require imported animal products to meet the same welfare standards as those produced here. We're farmers. We're proud of the standards we meet. And we're asking for a simple thing: if a practice isn't ok on a Kiwi farm, it shouldn't be ok on a Kiwi supermarket shelf. New Zealand banned sow stalls in 2016 and battery cages in 2023. But around 60% of pork and a significant share of egg products sold here are imported - often from countries still using the very practices we've legislated against. That's unfair to farmers who've invested in meeting our standards, unfair to consumers who expect what they're buying to reflect Kiwi values, and unfair to the animals those standards were designed to protect. We're calling for a level playing field. The World Trade Organisation rules allow it. Over 80% of New Zealanders support it. A member's bill is already in Parliament. All that's missing is political will. The campaign has its roots in 2024, when Waikato dairy farmer Walt Cavendish read a report from trade and animal welfare organisation Animal Policy International (API) (Registered NZ Charity - CC63828) on the welfare gap in New Zealand's imports. He posted about it on social media, got in touch with API, and found he wasn't alone - plenty of other farmers felt the same way. Fair for Farmers grew from there. Today, the campaign is led by farmers across New Zealand, with research and policy support from API. The voices and leadership come from the farmers this policy affects most directly. If it's not ok to produce in New Zealand, it's not ok to import and sell.