AUSSIE and kiwi farmers are joining forces in a bid to liberalise global agricultural trade.
The peak farmer representation bodies of New Zealand and Australia have united to call for a truly comprehensive and liberalising Trans Pacific Partnership agreement.
They say market liberalisation would help smaller agri-businesses from the two farming nations access growing global markets.
Federated Farmers of New Zealand and the National Farmers Federation (of Australia) are both participating in the TPP negotiations, currently taking place in Auckland.
According to Federated Farmers of New Zealand president Bruce Wills, "liberalisation must result in the elimination of all agricultural and food product tariffs and reform non-tariff measures''.
"If we want to get trade going, especially by small and medium sized agri-business enterprises, then we need all the blocks to free trade removed,'' Mr Wills said.
"This outcome must match the political ambition for the TPP.
"Australia and New Zealand want an agreement that is truly 21st century in coverage and design, setting the benchmark for future multilateral, regional and bilateral trade agreement.''
NFF president Jock Laurie said that market access for agriculture needed to be at the core of the negotiations.
"Agriculture needs to be at the heart of negotiations and the result is a net and sustainable creation of jobs,'' he said.
Both national farmers organisations also want conclusion of the negotiations in 2013.
"From our perspective, genuine agricultural trade liberalisation in the TPP context is highly important to the agricultural sectors future prosperity and competitiveness,'' Mr Laurie said.
"A free trade outcome is needed to drive the resource efficiency needed to meet the growth of global demand for food and fibre off the back of an increasing world population.
"Improving diets driven by increasing consumer affluence means availability and affordability both become essential criteria in meeting food security need.''
The comments come as both federal and state levels of Australian governments have urged the agricultural sector to boost their productivity to supply new markets.
The agriculture sector, however, has long argued that this could only happen if there was greater international market access and a greater government investment in research and development, to help boost farm productivity.
