Tuesday, 02 July 2024 11:55

Back off!

Written by  The Hound

OPINION: The inquiry into rural banking practice was welcomed at Fieldays, but Groundswell NZ added a proviso that this must include banks' treatment of agricultural emissions.

"Banks are becoming de facto enforcers of the same kinds of emissions policies that have been rejected by the voting public... banks are wanting farmers to comply with emissions policies based on outdated models".

It's a good point: problems with credit access may be caused by banks wanting to reduce the emissions disclosures in their lending portfolio reports, when the models they use don't reflect the developing science on agricultural emissions, and the Primary Production Committee's inquiry should include this in its remit.

Groundswell suggests you go to backoffbanks.nz and tell MPs to include emissions in their inquiry.

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