increase font size
Federated Farmers vice president and climate change spokesperson Andrew Hoggard.
Farmers continue to oppose agriculture entering the Emissions Trading Scheme.
This morning the Government announced that it is joining forces with industry leaders to measure and price emissions at farm level by 2025. Click here to read more.
Federated Farmers says it is pleased to be working with the government via the industry’s ‘He Waka Eke Noa’ commitment, but it does not support agricultural emissions going into the ETS (from 2025 or at any other time) without significant technological and regulatory developments becoming available to farmers.
Federated Farmers supports New Zealand playing its part in addressing climate change by pursuing action consistent with the goals of the 2015 Paris Agreement, including recognizing the fundamental priority of food production.
"He Waka Eke Noa is clear that the ETS has not worked to lower emissions and will not work for agriculture," Federated Farmers vice president and climate change spokesperson Andrew Hoggard says.
"We need more tools in the tool box. We are looking forward to exploring all these avenues further with government.
"New Zealanders also need to realise that any reduction in emissions achieved here through reduced production, will likely only be replaced with production in countries that have higher emissions per unit of output, and usually by subsidised farming sectors," says Hoggard.
Federated Farmers believes the pricing of agricultural emissions (via the ETS or any other mechanism) should only be considered if:
• It occurs at the margin for methane (where additional warming occurs) and not on the inaccurate ‘GWP100’ value.
• It occurs to incentivise the use of a cost-effective mitigation tool that is available, with regulatory approval, to farmers. None are currently available.
• New Zealand farmers are not put at a disadvantage to our main international competitors.
As outlined in He Waka Eke Noa:
"The sector will work with government to design a pricing mechanism where any price is part of a broader framework to support on-farm practice change, set at the margin and only to the extent necessary to incentivise the uptake of economically viable opportunities that contribute to lower global emissions. The primary sector’s proposed 5-year programme of action is aimed at ensuring farmers and growers are equipped with the knowledge and tools they need to deliver emissions reductions while maintaining profitability."
"Our sustainable climate change policy is not only backed by sound national and international science but is also strongly supported by our members.
Feds members have been consulted on numerous occasions, most recently by an online member survey, undertaken in June 2019 which received 1,277 responses.
An overwhelming 96.55% of our survey respondents believe that agriculture should not be in the ETS.
"He Waka Eke Noa represents a cutting edge and grass roots means of lowering new Zealand’s agricultural emissions in an manner that serves as a template to the rest of the world, slugging farmers with another tax via the ETS is simply not," says Hoggard.
Academic Dr Mike Joy and his employer, Victoria University of Wellington have apologised for his comments suggesting that dairy industry CEOs should be hanged for contributing towards nitrate poisoning of waterways.
A comment by outspoken academic Dr Mike Joy suggesting that dairy industry leaders should be hanged for nitrate contamination of drinking/groundwater has enraged farmers.
A new nationwide survey shows New Zealanders expect farmers and food producers to play a leading role in cutting greenhouse gas emissions, but also gave them higher marks than most industries for their current efforts.
Federated Farmers says the final report into banking competition is a significant step forward for rural New Zealand - and a vindication of the farming sector's concern.
Farmer lobby group Federated Farmers has announced it is supporting a new Member’s Bill which it says could bring clarity to New Zealand farmers and save millions in legal costs.
A landmark New Zealand trial has confirmed what many farmers have long suspected - that strategic spring nitrogen use not only boosts pasture growth but delivers measurable gains in lamb growth and ewe condition.
It was recently announced that former MP and Southland farmer Eric Roy has stepped down of New Zealand Pork after seven years. Leo Argent talks with Eric about his time at the organisation and what the future may hold.
It's critical that the horticulture sector works together as part of a goal to double the sector’s exports by 2035.
RaboResearch, the research arm of specialist agriculture industry banker Rabobank, sees positives for the Alliance Group in its proposed majority-stake sale to Ireland's Dawn Meats.
The ACT Party's call for a better deal on the Paris Agreement on climate change is being backed by farmer organisations.
A 50% tariff slapped by the US on goods from India last month has opened an opportunity for New Zealand wool carpets exports to North America.
OPINION: One particular bone the Hound has been gnawing on for years now is how the chattering classes want it…
OPINION: Our Aussie mates never miss a chance to put one over us, as seen in a recent op-ed by…
