Ruminant Biotech aims to equip 100 million cows with Emitless methane-reducing tech
New Zealand's Ruminant Biotech says that while it has big goals, the scale of the problem it seeks to solve requires it.
He Waka Eke Noa (Our Future in Our Hands) is the agri sector’s blueprint and commitment to dealing with climate change.
Uniquely all 11 partners from the livestock, processing, horticulture and arable, Maori, apiculture and irrigation sectors, and Federated Farmers, have signed this document which is unprecedented. Squabbling is often the norm.
The 14-page document outlines their collective commitment to working with the Government in ‘good faith’ on the challenging issue of climate. It acknowledges the need for change and that they want to share in the Government’s aspirations to shift to producing higher value products.
It says urgent action is needed but points out the obvious -- that few farmers know what practical actions they can take to meet some of the broad objectives set by Government.
“If NZ is to make a difference in climate change we need to stand shoulder-to-shoulder under a common set of values and principles,” the document says.
The document is both aspirational and pragmatic, because by uniting to face the Government they make it harder for the latter to ignore them. Divide and conquer is no longer an option.
Some important milestones are proposed over five years, as signalled in the report. For example:
2021 - the proportion of farmers who understand the actions they can take in respect of greenhouse gases (GHGs) will have increased from 50% to 90%
2022 - farmers will know their farm emission numbers
2025 - a system of farm-level accounting and reporting of agricultural emissions will be in place.
All farms will have a farm environment plan in place, and 70% of them will agree they are managing their GHGs in accordance with their farm plan.
The report also acknowledges the present work done by many groups including DairyNZ with its Dairy Environment leaders programme, Miraka’s Te Ara Miraka scheme which rewards farmer excellence, and Fonterra’s recognition and reward scheme.
It notes the value of competitions such as the dairy industry awards, the Ballance Farm Environment Awards and the Ahuwhenua Awards, all promoting industry role models.
It also notes that DairyNZ has reprioritised its research funding into sustainability initiatives and has been spending on GHG mitigation initiatives. It mentions similar initiatives by other members of the group.
Overall the document stated the parties’ intentions and the representatives at Parliament talked up the positive points.
A brilliant result and great news for growers and regional economies. That's how horticulture sector leaders are describing the news that sector exports for the year ended June 30 will reach $8.4 billion - an increase of 19% on last year and is forecast to hit close to $10 billion in 2029.
Funding is proving crucial for predator control despite a broken model reliant on the goodwill of volunteers.
A major milestone on New Zealand's unique journey to eradicate Mycoplasma bovis could come before the end of this year.
We're working through it, and we'll get to it.
The debate around New Zealand's future in the Paris Agreement is heating up.
A technical lab manager for Apata, Phoebe Scherer, has won the Bay of Plenty 2025 Young Grower regional title.
OPINION: It's official, Fieldays 2025 clocked 110,000 visitors over the four days.
OPINION: The Federated Farmers rural advocacy hub at Fieldays has been touted as a great success.