Tuesday, 16 February 2021 10:55

New chair for climate change envoys

Written by  Staff Reporters
Fraser McGougan is the new chair of the DairyNZ Climate Change Ambassadors. Fraser McGougan is the new chair of the DairyNZ Climate Change Ambassadors.

Award-winning dairy farmer Fraser McGougan has been appointed chair of the DairyNZ Climate Change Ambassadors.

Climate Change Ambassadors are leaders for climate change action on dairy farms. They help communicate the challenges and opportunities dairy farmers face in playing their part to address climate change, alongside the rest of New Zealand.

“The 13 ambassadors are leading dairy farmers who run their farms sustainably and profitably, while being committed to reducing on-farm greenhouse gas emissions,” says DairyNZ strategy and investment leader Dr David Burger.

“The ambassadors work to raise awareness and mobilise change for the benefit of the environment, farmers and New Zealand.”

McGougan (42) from Whakatane said he was looking forward to leading the ambassadors to engage with farmers, communities and decision-makers, and to provide a farmer voice at national level. He has been a Climate Change Ambassador since 2018.

“Farmers want to be part of the climate change solution,” said McGougan.

“Our role as Climate Change Ambassadors includes helping farmers understand the changes they can make on their farm to reduce emissions and improve water quality, while maintaining or even increasing profitability.

“There is no one-size-fits-all approach and small incremental changes on individual farms add up to big changes nationally.”

 McGougan said now is a critical time in the national conversation about emissions reductions, with the Climate Change Commission announcing draft carbon budgets on how New Zealand can meet its climate change obligations.

Research by AgResearch has confirmed New Zealand dairy is already the world’s lowest emissions producer of milk. But there is more to be done to maintain our competitive advantage and do the right thing by the environment and New Zealanders, said McGougan.

New scientific developments will be important in supporting farmers to continue to address climate change, and investment in R&D and support from the government were crucial, he said.

McGougan is a fourth-generation farmer – Willowvale Farm has been in the McGougan family for 120 years. He and his wife Katherine have 430 cows on 143 hectares.

Among a number of awards, the couple won the Bay of Plenty Ballance Farm Environment Awards Supreme Award in 2019. They have three children, Emily, Isaac and Liam.

The McGougans have fenced all their waterways, matched their stocking rate to what the land can sustainably carry and decreased their imported feed.

The Climate Change Ambassadors group was created in 2018 under the Dairy Action for Climate Change. New members have been appointed this year to maintain the diversity of the group, with a mix of locations, farm systems and experience.

The five new ambassadors appointed to the Climate Change Ambassadors are: Waikato farmers Melissa Slattery (Dairy Environment Leaders chair) and Graeme Barr, Southland farmer Steve Smith, and Canterbury farmers Ash-leigh Campbell and Phill Everest.

Your Ambassadors

Fraser McGougan, chair - Bay of Of Plenty

George Moss, vice chair - Waikato

Andrew Booth - Northland

Earle Wright - North Auckland

Graeme Barr - Waikato

Melissa Slattery - Waikato

Trish Rankin - Taranaki

Aidan Bichan - Wairarapa

Vern Brasell - Wairarapa

Ash-Leigh Campbell - Canterbury

Phill Everest - Canterbury

Louise Cook - Southland

Steve Smith - Southland

More like this

Better animal genetic gain system

A governance group has been formed, following extensive sector consultation, to implement the recommendations from the Industry Working Group's (IWG) final report and is said to be forming a 'road map' for improving New Zealand's animal genetic gain system.

OSPRI's costly software upgrade

Animal disease management agency OSPRI has announced sweeping governance changes as it seeks to recover from the expensive failure of a major software project.

Musical chairs

OPINION: DairyNZ's director elections has seen scientist Jacqueline Rowarth re-elected for another three-year term.

Featured

Better animal genetic gain system

A governance group has been formed, following extensive sector consultation, to implement the recommendations from the Industry Working Group's (IWG) final report and is said to be forming a 'road map' for improving New Zealand's animal genetic gain system.

SIDE 2025's new schedule, venue

Annual farmer gathering, the South Island Dairy Event (SIDE), is set to make history as it heads to Timaru for the first time.

Taranaki piggery goes solar

Installing 400 solar panels at their Taranaki piggery and cropping operation will have significant environmental, financial and animal welfare benefits for the Stanley family.

Editorial: Keep FTAs coming

OPINION: The dairy industry will  be a major beneficiary of a new free trade deal between NZ and the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC).

National

Organic sector backtracks on GE

Organics Aotearoa New Zealand (OANZ) says the Government’s new gene editing and genetic modification reforms could leave New Zealand as…

$3b windfall?

Fonterra's proposed sale of its global consumer business could fetch over $3 billion but not all proceeds will end up…

Machinery & Products

Milk Sustainability Centre launched

The recently announced Milk Sustainability Centre – a collaboration between global giant John Deere and milking and feed specialists De…

Data connection made easier

New Holland and Case IH are introducing new advancements in their precision technology stack to make farming easier and more…

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Chinese strategy

OPINION: Fonterra may have sold its dairy farms in China but the appetite for collaboration with the country remains strong.

Not fair

OPINION: The Listener's latest piece on winter grazing among Southland dairy farmers leaves much to be desired.

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter