OPINION: Your canine crusader notes that the Reserve Bank forecasts that more than 80% of beef and sheep farmers would be unprofitable if any future emissions pricing on carbon dioxide equivalent hit $150 per tonne.
It says 82% of sheep and beef operations would be in the red and nearly half of dairy farms would also be unprofitable.
These figures came after stress testing undertaken by banks, who were tasked by the Reverse Bank to look at what any potential price between $15/t and $150/t meant for farmers’ bottom lines.
Your old mate suggest these figures will be a nasty wake-up call for the incoming National government as it looks to put in place a pricing system by 2030.
It is also a reminder to those proponents of taxing ag emissions about what the real cost to the country would be.
As they say, it is hard to be green when you are in the red!