James Farmer (1823–1895) was a 19th-century Member of Parliament in the Waikato region, New Zealand.
He represented the Marsden electorate from 1859 to 1860 (when he was defeated for Onehunga), and then the Raglan electorate from to 1870, when he retired.
He was appointed to the Legislative Council on 3 July 1871, and served until he resigned on 29 July 1874.
Having made his fortune from mining "speculation" at Thames he retired to live as a gentleman in London. On their 1875-76 visit to Britain, James Hector was delighted that Mrs Farmer takes all care of Mrs Hector off my hands which leaves me quite free (to visit fellow scientists).