Nestle reportedly withdraws from methane accord
The ACT Party says media reports that global dairy giant Nestle has withdrawn from the Dairy Methane Action Alliance shows why New Zealand needs to rethink its approach to climate.
ACT MP Mark Cameron recently lodged a member's bill which seeks to restore provisions to the RMA that prohibit councils from considering climate change as a factor in their plans.
OPINION: Farmers have always been wary of the Resource Management Act (RMA).
Under the previous Labour government, further amendments were made to the legislation imposing a patchwork of restrictions on the way Kiwis use their land, all in the name of reducing emissions.
However, a member’s bill recently lodged by ACT MP and Northland dairy farmer Mark Cameron seeks to restore longstanding provisions to the RMA that prohibit regional councils from considering climate change as a factor in their plans.
Cameron’s bill would prevent regional and district councils from regulating greenhouse gas emissions and is a smart step for climate change policy.
After all, greenhouse gas emissions are a global rather than local challenge. It has never made sense for local councils to individually regulate greenhouse gas emissions.
As Cameron points out, property rights were sacrificed to the climate gods in a way that wouldn’t even reduce net emissions.
“It’s not feasible to have regional councils trying to save the world’s climate. In fact, it’s hopeless, because emissions are already managed nationally under the Emissions Trading Scheme.
Having regional councils regulate greenhouse gas emissions has the potential to create huge headaches for farmers.
Federated Farmers points out that Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC) has proposed a target of a 50% reduction in all greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, including biogenic methane.
For Wairarapa farmers who sit inside the GWRC’s boundaries, this means a resource consent application could set conditions that require farmers to reduce emissions in line with the 50% target. This raises questions for all resource consent applications. For example, could a new road or house fail a resource consent application if it wasn’t viewed as consistent with a 50% reduction?
None of this makes any sense when carbon dioxide emissions are already captured under the ETS.
That’s why Cameron’s bill makes sense.
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.
Rural retailer Farmlands has reported a return to profitability, something the co-operative says shows clear progress in the second year of its five-year strategy.
According to a new report, the Safer Rides initiative, which offered farmers heavily discounted crush protection devices (CPDs) for quad bikes, has made a significant impact in raising awareness and action around farm vehicle safety.
OPINION: In the past weeks, much has been said and written about one of New Zealand's greatest prime ministers, James Brendan Bolger, who died just a few months after his 90th birthday.
Following recent storms in the region, the 69th edition of the Tour of Southland cycling event has been postponed.
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