Dairy farmers welcome NZ’s revised 2050 methane target
The Government's revised 2050 biogenic methane target range of 14-24% by 2050 is being welcomed by dairy farmers.
Keep the dialogue going. That's the message from DairyNZ chairman Jim van der Poel as the Government mulls over how to deal with agricultural emissions before the election.
Van der Poel says they haven't heard anything from government about a proposed fertiliser tax being passed by Parliament before the October election. But he concedes that time is running out to pas any of the He Waka Eke Noa (HWEN) legislation, given the election is only a few months away. He says the idea of a 'fert tax' is not something the industry has talked about and there is no framework developed around such a proposal.
"Pricing is just one aspect of HWEN," he told Dairy News.
He says HWEN includes a much broader range of initiatives, including farmers knowing their emission numbers and having guidelines around these to incentivise farmers to make changes to comply with government requirements. He says, whether HWEN is dead or not, everyone accepts NZ has a commitment internationally to reduce agricultural emissions.
"My message to government is that, in the spirit of the partnership, if we can't stand up HWEN and we believe there is a better way of doing that, we should continue to work together and see what that looks like.
"If you can work together on what that looks like, it's more likely to be enduring. If we start splitting things up it's going to be a mess," he says.
Van der Poel says dairy farmers see themselves as part of the solution; they know they must do their part for NZ to meet its commitments.
But he says it's logical that they want to know what they have to do. If there is a levy, they want to know that money contributes to useful research.
"Farmers take great pride in the fact they have good effluent systems in place, that they are managing their nutrients properly and have fenced off waterways. There are many initiatives taking place on farm and people will buy in what's needed, provided it is logical," he says.
But he says farmers will be less supportive if something that doesn't make sense is imposed on them.
Acclaimed fruit grower Dean Astill never imagined he would have achieved so much in the years since being named the first Young Horticulturist of the Year, 20 years ago.
The Ashburton-based Carrfields Group continues to show commitment to future growth and in the agricultural sector with its latest investment, the recently acquired 'Spring Farm' adjacent to State Highway 1, Winslow, just south of Ashburton.
New Zealand First leader and Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has blasted Fonterra farmers shareholders for approving the sale of iconic brands to a French company.
A major feature of the Ashburton A&P Show, to be held on October 31 and November 1, will be the annual trans-Tasman Sheep Dog Trial test match, with the best heading dogs from both sides of the Tasman going head-to-head in two teams of four.
Fewer bobby calves are heading to the works this season, as more dairy farmers recognise the value of rearing calves for beef.
The key to a dairy system that generates high profit with a low emissions intensity is using low footprint feed, says Fonterra program manager on-farm excellence, Louise Cook.
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