Green but not much grass!
Dairy farmers in the lower North Island are working on protecting next season, according to Federated Farmers dairy chair Richard McIntyre, who farms just north of the Horowhenua township of Levin.
Federated Farmers has welcomed the Government's decision not to include agriculture in the scope of the Emissions Trading Scheme review.
The review will assess how the NZ ETS should evolve to support New Zealand in meeting future emissions reduction targets and its ongoing transition to a low emissions economy.
Federated Farmers climate change spokesperson Anders Crofoot says that issues around agriculture are bigger than the NZ ETS and require more time than the review can allow.
"While the review doesn't consider the question of bringing agriculture into the NZ ETS, we still have an interest in the issue. Farmers pay for the emissions from fuel and electricity, like every other New Zealander. Many of our members have forests on their farms, so we will be speaking with the government on these issues," he says.
Crofoot says farmers are contributing to the national effort to reduce emissions.
"Improvements to farm productivity see an average 1.3% increase in the emissions efficiency of farm production. This can only improve with the considerable investment that farmers and the sector more broadly put into science and research to reduce methane and nitrous oxide emissions."
"It makes more sense for New Zealand farm production to continue, rather than see less efficient farm production fill the space on supermarket shelves our products currently enjoy," he says.
Federated Farmers says it is looking forward to discussions with government.
The red meat sector is welcoming the start of trade negotiations between New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Meat processor Alliance Group's cash-strapped farmer shareholders face a dilemma - either pour more money into the co-operative or risk losing 100% ownership and control.
Farmer-led charity, Meat the Need is calling for donations to enable it to supply more meals to families in need.
Weaker pricing and demand from China continue to impact New Zealand red meat export earnings.
Fonterra has cemented its position as the country’s number one cheesemaker by picking up nine NZ Champion of Cheese trophies this year.