NZ Survey Of Rural Decision Makers 2025: Results now in!

Friday 22 May 2026

 
New data shows how Kiwi foresters and farmers are using technology to tackle modern land challenges. The 2025 SRDM results are now in.

The Survey of Rural Decision Makers (SRDM) is the leading source of information about Aotearoa New Zealand’s primary sector. Conducted by the Bioeconomy Science Institute Maiangi Taiao every 2 years, thousands of farmers, foresters, growers, and lifestyle block owners from Cape Reinga / Te Rereanga Wairua to Halfmoon Bay complete the survey. The SRDM is one of the largest and longest-running rural surveys in the world.

The seventh SRDM survey ran from June to August 2025. Designed to build a better picture of decision-making at the farm level, its economic, social, and environmental data are integrated to provide research and advice to policy makers, industry, and the rural sector.

Topics such as land use and land-use change, land management, and future planning are included in every iteration of the survey. Other topics are included in a given year to reflect current policy and scientific questions. For example, the 2025 survey included questions on climate beliefs, adoption of new technologies, and catchment groups.

High-level survey results – including infographics spotlighting key findings – are available via this website.

Highlights from the 2025 survey include:
  • Farmers, foresters, and growers report high life satisfaction, particularly as they become older. In fact, if farmers aged over 70 were a country, they would have the second highest life satisfaction in the world, behind only Finland.
  • Livestock farmers have emphasised improving productivity, animal welfare, and soil health over the last few years. Reducing agricultural greenhouse gas emissions, improving native biodiversity, and improving biosecurity have been much less of a focus.
  • Younger farmers are most likely to have adopted new technologies, especially new pasture/crop varieties and precision farming tools. Productivity is the major driver of adoption.
  • 27% of the sample are current or former catchment group members. They say that the opportunity to work collectively to address a problem is the main reason they participate.
  • 69% of survey respondents believe that climate change is occurring. Among them, 83% believe that humans are a driver. 56% of respondents have made changes to their properties due to extreme weather events.
More >>

Source & image credit: Bioeconomy Science Institute



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