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 Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Simon Upton says there is no single way of dealing with agricultural emissions.
“There are many different approaches that could be taken, and bringing agricultural emissions into the ETS is just one option,” he says.
Upton believes the question should be about how best we can mitigate agricultural emissions.
“There is no easy blueprint to follow for reducing them. No single policy will be sufficient. New Zealand must chart a path forward that makes sense of our national circumstances and international commitments, and that is grounded firmly in science,” he told a conference in Wellington today.
The conference, organised by the NZ Institute of Agricultural and Horticultural Science, looks at agriculture and Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS).
Upton told the conference he was working on an in-depth investigation into the treatment of biological sources and sinks across New Zealand’s landscapes, as part of New Zealand’s climate policy.
“As part of that enquiry, I will seek to highlight key issues to consider as an approach is developed.
“It is clear that any debate around alternatives should command a solid scientific basis, and explore the potential consequences of different approaches for a wide range of environmental outcomes and our landscapes. I’m not in a position to share many conclusions at this stage.”
A tax advisory specialist is hailing a 20% tax deduction to spur business asset purchases as a golden opportunity for agribusiness.
Sheep and beef farmers have voted to approve Beef + Lamb New Zealand signing an operational agreement between the agricultural sector and the Government on foot and mouth disease readiness and response.
The head of the New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers organisation NZKGI says the points raised in a report about the sector by Waikato University professor Frank Scrimgeour were not a surprise.
A new report from ASB and Lincoln University shows how smarter, more diverse land use could unlock billions in value for farmers and the wider economy.
Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ) says it is delighted by the Government’s announcement that it would invest $250,000 in the organisation.
The road between Napier and Wairoa is on the mend.
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