State-owned farming business, Landcorp, says it's helping iwi to keep costs down by continuing to run farms returned to Maori in Treaty settlements.
Chief executive Chris Kelly says Landcorp's currently managing three farms in the Far North for Muriwhenua iwi, whose settlement will be ratified by Parliament later this year.
He says it's very expensive for iwi to stock the farms and run them.
Mr Kelly says Landcorp's come up with an arrangement to run the farms for iwi for several more years, under a co-management regime.
He says that will allow iwi to own the farms, but avoid paying for stock, staff and overall running costs.
