Federated Farmers president Andrew Hoggard will run as the ACT Party candidate for Rangitīkei.

Hoggard announced he plans to step down from his role as Federated Farmers president, which he has held for three years.

The Country's Jamie Mackay says there had been speculation and rumours going around for the past week ahead of today's announcement.

Jamie Mackay says there's been a long history of Federated Farmers presidents standing for the ACT Party, with former leaders Owen Jennings and Don Nicholson going on to join ACT.

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