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Andrew McGiven.
Federated Farmers Waikato president Andrew McGiven believes animal numbers would have to be effectively halved to meet the 2050 target set by the Government's new Zero Carbon Amendment Bill.
He says food producers are very worried about the proposed bill.
“Even more galling is that no trees that farmers have planted in the last two decades to improve water quality and help with other environmental outcomes may be used as an ‘offset’ because the [required] methane cuts are [stated] in gross terms.
“So the only method is to halve the amount of feed to a ruminant animal, but that will in many cases create animal welfare issues.”
McGiven says the Bill showed him “what a complete farce the recent Interim Climate Change Committee (ICCC) consultation was with industry."
While farmers are unhappy about the unrealistic targets, environment group Greenpeace is also upset with the Zero Carbon Amendment Bill but for different reasons.
Greenpeace executive director Dr Russel Norman says the Bill grants no ability for enforcing its climate change targets.
“What we’ve got here is a reasonably ambitious piece of legislation that’s then had the teeth ripped out of it.”
According to the latest Federated Farmers banking survey, farmers are more satisfied with their bank and less under pressure, however, the sector is well short of confidence levels seen last decade.
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Federated Farmers has launched a new campaign, swapping "The Twelve Days of Christmas" for "The Twelve Pests of Christmas" in an effort to highlight the most troublesome farm pests.
The Push-Up Challenge, an event which combines mental health and fitness, is set to launch in New Zealand in 2026.
Last month's Agritechnica event led to a wide group of manufacturers celebrating successes when the 2026 Tractor of the Year Competition winners, selected by a panel of European journalists, were announced in Hanover Germany.
According to the latest Federated Farmers banking survey, farmers are more satisfied with their bank and less under pressure, however, the sector is well short of confidence levels seen last decade.
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Former Agriculture Minister and Otaki farmer Nathan Guy has been appointed New Zealand’s Special Agricultural Trade Envoy (SATE).
Alliance Group has commissioned a new heat pump system at its Mataura processing plant in Southland.
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