Sector partners strengthen resolve to advocate strongly for farmers

Joint media release from DairyNZ, Beef + Lamb New Zealand, and Federated Farmers

This week the leaders of DairyNZ, Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+L NZ) and Federated Farmers met to discuss emissions pricing and to reaffirm common position between the three organisations, to enable them to move forward together and advocate strongly on behalf of farmers.

DairyNZ chair Jim van der Poel says a united voice on emissions pricing is the best way to ensure positive policy outcomes for farmers. “All three organisations have reaffirmed nine core principles that we will all be raising in our submissions and through the He Waka Eke Noa partnership.”

The Government’s emission pricing proposal differs significantly from the He Waka Eke Noa recommendations, which were designed as a whole-farm system approach to reduce emissions, meet targets and give fair recognition and reward for on-farm planting. The Government’s subsequent changes have needlessly put the finely balanced cross-sector consensus at risk.

“Our organisations are all united in our determination to get the best possible outcome we can and will continue to work closely together as we advocate for farmers,” says B+L NZ chair Andrew Morrison.

Federated Farmers chair Andrew Hoggard said individual organisations would continue to raise sector-specific issues.

The nine core principles that will be raised directly with the Government are:

1. The current methane targets are wrong and need to be reviewed. Targets should be science-based, not political, and look to prevent additional warming.
2. The methane price should be set at the minimum level needed and be fixed for a five-year period to give farmers certainty.
3. Any levy revenue must be ringfenced and only be used for the administration of the system, investment in R&D, or go back to farmers as incentives. Administration costs must be minimised.
4. The future price should be set by the Minister on the advice of an independent oversight board appointed by all He Waka Eke Noa partners.
5. The system must incentivise farmers to uptake technology and adopt good farming practices that will reduce global emissions.
6. All sequestration that can be measured and is additive should be counted. We stand by what was proposed by the He Waka Eke Noa partnership on sequestration.
7. Farmers should be able to form collectives to measure, manage, and report their emissions in an efficient way.
8. Farmers who don’t have access to mitigations or sequestration should be able to apply for temporary levy relief if the viability of their business is threatened.
9. We will not accept emissions leakage. The way to prevent that happening is by getting the targets, price, sequestration, incentives, and other settings right.

Submissions on the Government pricing proposal close on 18 November.

Media contacts

Justine McLeary
DairyNZ senior media specialist
Ph 027 808 0673
justine.mcleary@dairynz.co.nz

Abigail Delaney
B+LNZ communications advisor
Ph 027 209 9891
media@beeflambnz.com

Leigh Catley
Federated Farmers GM communications
Ph 027 241 4350
lcatley@fedfarm.org.nz