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Tim Mackle.
DairyNZ chief executive Tim Mackle has welcomed the announcement of the members of the Interim Climate Change Committee.
“Establishing the Interim Committee is an important step for New Zealand towards becoming a net zero emissions economy,” says Mackle. “DairyNZ supports the formation of this committee and the important work they will undertake for New Zealand.
“It is wonderful to see Dr Jan Wright has been included in the Interim Committee. Her work as the former Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment formed the basis for much of the Government’s climate change policy. The dairy sector supported her suggestions, in her previous role, on how best to achieve New Zealand’s climate change commitments.
“There is need for a strong understanding of each of New Zealand’s major sectors – especially across the transport and agricultural sectors who are the two largest emitters. Both Harry Clark and Suzi Kerr have important agricultural experience which will be necessary to this role.
“I am concerned however by the omission of a member with actual farm knowledge. This understanding and experience is vital in order to understand how different mitigations impact on the farm system.
“The expertise present across the members of the Interim Committee will ensure the best decisions are in place to move New Zealand’s economy towards a low emission future.”
The Interim Committee will consider agriculture's role in meeting New Zealand's greenhouse reduction targets and whether agricultural methane and nitrous oxide emissions should face a price in the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme.
"DairyNZ is committed to assisting our levy payers do their part to address on farm emissions,” says Mackle. “The dairy industry must do its part alongside the wider economy to reduce and offset New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions.”
The first major update to the Dairy Cattle Code of Welfare in more than a decade has been released, marking what DairyNZ describes as an important step in ensuring animal welfare standards continue to evolve alongside scientific evidence and on-farm realities.
For the first time in a quarter of a century, Federated Farmers has something positive to say about the Labour Party’s climate change policy leading into a general election.
DairyNZ deputy chair Cameron Henderson has been re-appointed unopposed for another term.
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The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (the College) and Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Health Network are calling for investment in a proposed new training pathway for rural GPs, warning that many rural practices are struggling to recruit while a large share of the existing workforce nears retirement.
Federated Farmers has called on Central Otago District Council (CODC) to drop or vote down a plan to truck sludge from Alexandra and Cromwell to farmland near Lauder, warning it would compound an "outrageous" situation created by a separate council's decision weeks earlier.
Synlait has swung to second-half profit as operations stabilise, but the dairy processor still posted a $75.4m annual loss.
LIC shareholders have elected a new North Island representative to the co-operative's Board, along with five representatives to its Shareholder Reference Group (SRG), following the company's Annual Meeting held in Invercargill.
Farmers across parts of Southland and South Otago are continuing to deal with difficult conditions after a prolonged run of wet weather, with pressure building around feed supply, stock management, pasture damage, farm infrastructure and everyday workloads.
Federated Farmers says it welcomes Labour's commitment to reviewing the Sharemilking Agreements Act, calling on other major parties to do the same.
