DairyNZ chair wants cross-party deal
New DairyNZ chair Tracy Brown says bipartisan agreement among political parties on emissions pricing and freshwater regulations would greatly help farmers.
Government moves on an emissions reduction plan for the primary sector has gone down like a lead balloon with a range industry organisations.
Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor recently announced a number of measures: including plans to measure and price agricultural emissions at the farm level, confirmation of the split-gas approach and a commitment to set the price at the lowest level possible to meet reduction gains.
O'Connor claims the Government has listened in taking a balanced approach. He says in his meetings with sector leaders, they have reiterated their commitment to taking a collaborative approach on agricultural emissions through the sector partnership He Waka Eke Noa (HWEN).
"We hav shifted farm-level emissions reporting requirements into quarter 4 of 2024; emissions pricing won't start until two years from now in quarter 4 of 2025," O'Connor says. "Work will also get underway to allow scientifically validated forms of on-farm sequestration into the ETS, which can help reduce the cost to farmers."
O'Connor says overseas customers have set high reduction targets on emissions, which he describes as a tectonic shift in our export markets.
He believes that means that NZ farmers will have to reduce their emissions in order to sell to these people.
"The reality is our agriculture sector will have to adapt over the coming years and reduce emissions."
But the announcement drew a sharp response from National's agricultural spokesperson Todd McClay who says Labour is out of touch with farmers and has given up on the rural sector.
McClay claims that the Government has failed to make any progress on agricultural emissions over the last six years.
"They have reheated their tired, old plan which risks closing down up to 20% of sheep and beef farms by requiring farmers to pay for emissions from 2025," he says. "This is Labour's fourth agricultural emissions plan in 18 months. While Labour will sacrifice the economy, National has a plan to meet our climate change targets and keep farmers in busines through innovative new technology."
Farmers appear to be backing the Government's recent Resource Management Act (RMA) reforms announcement.
For the first time, all the big names in agricultural drone technology are being brought together under one marquee at the National Fieldays.
Fonterra has announced an improved third quarter performance – with a profit after tax of $1.15 billion, up $119 million on the same period last year.
The Fieldays Innovation Awards competition has attracted a diverse and impressive array of innovations from across the primary industries, highlighting the growing importance of technology shaping the future of farming.
Coming to the fore following the carnage of Cyclone Gabrielle, Starlink became well known for providing internet access even in NZ's most inaccessible places.
From this winter farmers will have a greater choice of feed types and blend options than ever before, thanks to Farmlands' purchase of animal nutrition company SealesWinslow.
OPINION: Imagine if the Hound had called the Minister of Finance the 'c-word' and accused her of "girl math".
OPINION: It's good news that Finance Minister Nicola Willis has slashed $1.1 billion from new spending, citing "a seismic global…