Federated Farmers has one message for Southland's farming families ahead of Saturday's general election: get to a polling place.

The lobby group released its voter guide last week and used the final days of the campaign to push members to use it. Rural News reported on Tuesday that the guide sets each party's stance against 25 policies from the federation's own "Backing Kiwi Farmers" manifesto, covering tax, pest management, water storage and local government reform among other topics.

National president Colin Hurst said the federation was not telling farmers who to vote for, only that they should vote.

By the federation's reckoning, New Zealand First lines up with all 25 positions, with National and ACT close behind. Labour's position is recorded as unclear on 15 of the policies, the Greens part company with farmers on several environmental questions, and both Labour and the Greens oppose the federation's push to overhaul how local government works. Labour and Opportunity are also marked as unclear on Resource Management Act reform.

Mr Hurst singled out two areas where he sees the sharpest divide. On RMA reform he credited the current coalition with cutting red tape and simplifying farming rules, and said he could see nothing comparable in what Labour, the Greens or Opportunity had put forward. On local government he described a clear left-right split, with right-leaning parties promising to trim bureaucracy, protect property rights and end joint decision-making with unelected groups.

He said a change of government would put those reforms at serious risk, which he believed would be bad for farmers and rural towns.

The guide also finds common ground. Every party backs support for young farmers, agriculture being taught in rural schools, a review of sharemilking agreement legislation and vocational training, and Mr Hurst noted broad agreement on controlling pests, backing community-led conservation, and clearing the way for new technology and infrastructure. He called that cross-party support encouraging and said progress was likely whoever forms the next government.

Both of the province's seats, Invercargill and Southland, take in large farming populations.

Election day is Saturday 7 November. RNZ reports that the Electoral Commission counts votes by hand, aims to have 95 per cent of preliminary results in by 11.30pm on the night, and expects to declare final results, including up to 700,000 special votes, on Friday 27 November.

The Federated Farmers voter guide is available on the organisation's website.