National promises fewer council approvals for farms

National is promising to let farmers carry out more work without council approval, saying simpler rules would help them grow more food and sell more overseas.

If re-elected, it would develop and introduce 19 sets of nationwide rules covering activities such as growing vegetables, storing water and dealing with animal waste.

The proposed standards would also make it easier to build farm tracks, extract gravel and house seasonal workers.

In many cases, farmers who met the conditions could do that work without first getting council permission, while other consent approvals would become "faster and cheaper".

National leader Christopher Luxon and agriculture spokesperson Todd McClay made the commitment in its agriculture manifesto, which they unveiled at AgFest in Greymouth on Friday.

National said the new standards would be developed with farmers, growers and the wider sector but did not include a timeline for their introduction.