Farmlands named Official National Rural Partner for Provincial Rugby

Farmlands and the New Zealand Provincial Rugby Union Group have announced a new partnership, making the farmer and grower-owned co-operative the Official Rural Partner of New Zealand’s 14 Major rugby provinces.

The partnership spans the NPC and Farah Palmer Cup and connects Farmlands with provincial rugby through national broadcast, match-day activity, a special Rural Round, and Rural Rugby Legends - a new nationwide recognition programme celebrating the volunteers, groundskeepers, committee members and other unsung heroes who keep provincial rugby running year after year in each of the 14 unions.

The partnership brings together two organisations with deep roots in regional New Zealand. Farmlands has supported rural communities for more than 60 years as a farmer and grower-owned co-operative, while 11 of the 14 Provincial Rugby Unions have served their communities for more than a century. Using the idea that “Rural never rests, unless the game’s on” Farmlands aims to both celebrate and support the provincial rugby unions, clubs and legends that are the backbone of rural communities.

The announcement comes as the NPC celebrates its 50th season in 2026, with all 77 matches broadcast live across TVNZ free-to-air and Sky Sport. Research commissioned by Farmlands through OMD shows Rugby Union is the number one sport among New Zealand farmers, with around 60 percent interested in, participating in or attending the game. Farmers are twice as likely as the average New Zealander to play sport themselves and just as likely to be found on the sideline watching their kids play, helping behind the scenes or keeping the fields maintained. It's a whole-household broadcast audience too. Farming women index even higher than men for interest in watching international rugby live on TV.

Across the season, Farmlands will bring the partnership to life through its stores, match-day presence and working with Provincial Unions on local activations across the country. Farmlands says the partnership is designed to support the people behind provincial rugby, from farmers, growers and families to volunteers, clubs, local businesses, groundskeepers, coaches, players and supporters.

Farmlands Chief Executive Tanya Houghton said provincial rugby is a natural fit for Farmlands because it reflects the customers and communities the co-operative works with every day.

“Provincial rugby has always been about more than what happens on the field,” Houghton said.

“Across regional New Zealand, it's where communities come together, from family weekends spent playing and supporting the game, to volunteers putting in the hours on the field or at the BBQ, to clubs and supporters showing up for each other. When you look at who we are and who they are, it makes a lot of sense.”

“The most important purpose of this partnership is grounded in community. Our strength has always been rooted in the communities where we live and work. The support our teams provide to local events and clubs is a vital part of the Farmlands DNA, and we know that for many of our rural communities, their passion for rugby is what brings them together.”

Houghton said Farmlands’ presence would not be limited to the winter playing calendar. The partnership supports the element that Rural Never Rests, whilst the game itself stops after 80 minutes, the people behind it, volunteers, coaches, committee and clubrooms keep on going to make it happen.

“This is not just about showing up on game day. We expect this partnership to keep showing up long after the playing season is over. Provincial rugby is part of rural community life year-round, and we want Farmlands to have an ongoing presence in those times too.”

From the rugby perspective, the NZPU Group’s primary focus remains enabling more New Zealanders to play, watch, celebrate, and belong to the game of rugby – no matter where they live.

“All of our Provincial Rugby Unions are community-based,” says Jay Campbell, CEO of Hawke’s Bay Rugby and spokesperson for the NZPU Group. “We’re incredibly proud to partner with Farmlands, as the threads that connect us to each other are many and rugby is always thrilled to partner with businesses that truly understand the diverse and unique communities that provincial rugby serves.”

Further details on local activations, Rural Round, Rural Rugby Legend recipients and opportunities will be shared as the partnership rolls out through the NPC and Farah Palmer Cup seasons.