With New Zealand's farmers in the news regarding environmental transparency, 22 working farms and one historic farm will be opening their gates at the end of the month to show what farmers actually do.

"Federated Farmers Farm Day, on Sunday, 28 March, is about showing the real green New Zealand," says Don Nicolson, President of Federated Farmers.

"There's so much spin at the moment that we want the general public to get out and see working farms for themselves. We want our consumers to come out and talk with real farmers about what real New Zealand does.

"Given one strident critic couldn't tell the anatomical difference between a bull and a cow, this day is about the front and back end of our farm animals and everything in between. It's all about what goes into New Zealand's largest and most important industry, agriculture.

"It's about us going on the front foot. Our dairy farmers are open to talking about how they manage and recycle effluent in ways that would put many of our towns and cities to shame.

"For us farmers, it's an opportunity to talk openly about how we've evolved, what we do and how we do it. Given our new found love affair with red tape, the sad truth is that many people in urban New Zealand cannot easily get onto a working farm.

"Yet it's also a great chance for us farmers to talk about the issues of importance facing urban New Zealand.

"We're all Kiwis and farmers want New Zealanders to be as proud of us as they are of the All Blacks, All Whites or the Silver Ferns. Kiwi farmers are world beaters and we do it all on our own two feet.

"Federated Farmers Farm Day is on the last Sunday in March (28 March) and will run between 10am and 3pm. We want to make Farm Day as accessible as possible so people can visit www.farmday.org.nz to get details on the farm nearest to them and of course, those all important driving directions.

"Excepting the one the historic farm, it's completely free so it's why I say, 'never mind the b*llocks' and get into Federated Farmers Farm Day," Mr Nicolson urged.