A Wairarapa famer says the industry is "sick of being told what to do" by the Government and fears regulation may push some out of the industry.
Sheep and beef farmer George Williams joined AM's Ryan Bridge in Masterton on Monday, where he outlined some of the key issues facing Aotearoa's farming community.
The rural sector has been hit by extreme weather events in the past year, while wool, beef, lamb, and dairy prices have taken a hit too - but Williams said Government regulation is one issue that's "wreaking havoc" on the industry.
"It's compounding you know, there's weather events all the time. It's (regulation) really wreaking havoc on them, mentally, stressfully, financially."
When asked if regulation could become too hard for some to continue, Williams said it "absolutely will be".
He told AM the toll it takes is widespread and trickles down to staff and the children.
"More compliance just keeps throwing our way and it's like, at some point something's going to give and farmers are just going to say, 'where do we go?'" he said.
"We're sick of being told what to do and how to run our businesses. There's no better custodian of the land than the farmer himself."
And it is causing issues for farmers' mental well-being, Williams said.
"People have had enough."
China's economic slowdown is adding pressure too. Williams believes the industry is facing "the most challenging two years of our farming careers".
"We're so reliant on China, we're so exposed to these Chinese markets. It's primary industries across the table, it's the dairy, the sheep and beef, the wool, the forestry guys," he said.
"We're all looking down the barrel of pretty chewy few years."
While it's been challenging for the farming community, Williams said there is a lot of "really cool things out there to help us get through this."
"It's technology and it's people that we have to be investing in to get us through it."
Watch the video above for more.
