No reason to demonise farming
OPINION: New Zealand has said it is going to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by ‘a lot’ and ‘in a short time’. One of those gases is methane. Our biggest producer of methane is livestock farming.
“The committee, announced two weeks ago, will consult with the public and sector groups, including agriculture, from about October until the end of this year,” he told Dairy News. “It will then aim to report back about June-July next year.”
Asked if dairy farmers should be concerned about how they will be affected, Shaw said he didn’t want to pre-empt the interim committee’s work.
“It is neither the interim committee’s intention, nor the Government’s,to make dairy farmers worry.
“This is why we want to consult with them and all NZers, and gather as much expert evidence as possible on which to make whatever just transition is required, with the necessary supports to ensure transition is fair and sustainable,” says Shaw.
“I urge farmers and their [lobby groups] to make submissions to the committee, whose six members have respected expertise in relation to agriculture.
“Dr Harry Clark (a member) is a leader in agricultural greenhouse gas research and is the director of the New
Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre.
“And deputy chair Lisa Tumahai... oversees the operation of Ngai Tahu Farming and its work in agribusiness.
“I know lots of farmers are already taking action on environmental issues and the Government wants to work with them to continue that good work and scale it up.”
