Reforming agricultural policy: lessons from four countries (2007) without subsidies? New zealand agrarian policy. Zealands reforms were not opposed by the main farmers organisation. But the New Zealand experience is pretty persuasive. Since subsidy removal the agricultural sector has grown faster than the rest of the economy. Agricultural productivity has gone up 5.9% a year on average since 1986. Prior to 1986 agricultural productivity gains were about 1% a year [5] . The total number of stock units on New Zealand farms has fallen by 9% since 1987. Around 90% of New Zealands total farm output is exported. A mini-history of New Zealand agriculture.