ACT, farmers push for changes to Paris Agreement
The ACT Party's call for a better deal on the Paris Agreement on climate change is being backed by farmer organisations.
The ACT Party has introduced legislation that would allow for two hunting representatives on the Conservation Authority.
ACT Party conservation spokesperson Cameron Luxton is calling for legislation that would ensure hunters and fishers have representation on the Conservation Authority.
He says that hunters and fishers have a “deep connection" to both nature and the environment.
“We enjoy being in the great outdoors, and we’re instrumental in conservation efforts,” Luxton says.
“Every weekend this summer season, thousands of us are out in the bush, and many will contribute to conservation work that would otherwise cost the Department of Conservation and taxpayers billions,” he says.
However, Luxton says hunters lack representation on the New Zealand Conservation Authority, which currently comprises 13 members, including representatives from iwi, the Royal Society, Forest and Bird, and Federated Mountain Clubs.
“Deerstalkers Association members alone dedicate about 184,000 hours annually to conservation activities like habitat restoration, planting, pest control, organised culls, and maintaining backcountry huts and tracks. This is on top of the conservation benefits provided by recreational hunting as a method for game animal management,” he says.
Last year, Luxton lodged a bill that proposes the Minister of Conservation appoint two additional members to the board – one recommended by the New Zealand Deerstalkers Association, and a second following consultation with both Fish and Game and the Game Animal Council.
“Giving hunters a stronger voice on the Conservation Authority could foster more beneficial partnerships for both our natural environment and the taxpayer,” he says.
“I hope this bill will gain cross-party support in Parliament,” he concludes.
An increasing number of students are doing agricultural and horticultural degrees at Massey University by distance learning.
ANZ New Zealand is encouraging farmers and businesses impacted by the recent extreme weather that hit Southland and South Otago last week to seek support if they need it.
When Professor Pierre Venter takes up his new role as vice chancellor at Massey University next February it will just be a matter of taking a few steps across the road to get to his new office at the Palmerston North Campus.
Two rural data organisations - DairyNZ’s DairyBase and Farm Focus - have formed a new partnership that aims to remove data duplication and help provide more timely, useful benchmarking insights for farmers.
BNZ says it is backing aspiring dairy farmers through an innovative new initiative that helps make the first step to farm ownership or sharemilking a little easier.
LIC chief executive David Chin says meeting the revised methane reduction targets will rely on practical science, smart technology, and genuine collaboration across the sector.

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