DairyNZ and Beef + Lamb NZ wrap up M. bovis compensation support after $161M in claims
Compensation assistance for farmers impacted by Mycoplama bovis is being wound up.
DairyNZ says the industry has a vital role to play in helping transition New Zealand to a low-emissions economy.
“We look forward to the certainty that the Zero Carbon Act, once introduced, will provide the dairy sector,” says DairyNZ chief executive Tim Mackle.
The Government last week launched nationwide public meetings to hear people’s views. Minister for Climate Change James Shaw says momentum is building for the Zero Carbon Bill.
“Communities, businesses, farmers, iwi and ordinary New Zealanders... are already doing what they can to reduce emissions or are ready to get on board and help draw up our plan to reduce NZ’s impact on the climate.”
Shaw will visit National Fieldays on Thursday to talk to farmers and encourage their feedback.
Consultation on the Bill runs for six weeks at 14 regional public meetings. Shaw is expected to attend most of the meetings.
Mackle says all sectors need to be aligned and accountable towards a common goal which will see NZ achieve a low carbon economy.
“The Ministry for the Environment [will] ensure farmers’ voices are heard in the consultation, and we want that to continue and be reflected in the final policy.”
DairyNZ will this month hold regional climate change workshops for dairy farmers, including government officials talking about the Zero Carbon Bill.
“Farmers will gain an understanding of the Zero Carbon Bill and leave the workshops knowing how their farm contributes to NZ’s greenhouse gas profile and how specific initiatives can improve their farm’s broader environmental footprint,” says Mackle.
“Our focus is mitigation and adaptation, but education is the first step [so that] every farmer understands how to run their farm in a way most suitable for their land and region.
“Planning for our future as an agricultural nation requires planning for a different climate while doing all we can to mitigate our greenhouse gas emissions.
“Many farmers are already thinking and working in this way.
“Agricultural emissions are a challenge for the global food sector, and NZ is front-footing this opportunity to show the world it is possible to produce milk in an emissions-conscious way.
“This is our chance to set a global standard.”
Managing director of Woolover Ltd, David Brown, has put a lot of effort into verifying what seems intuitive, that keeping newborn stock's core temperature stable pays dividends by helping them realise their full genetic potential.
Within the next 10 years, New Zealand agriculture will need to manage its largest-ever intergenerational transfer of wealth, conservatively valued at $150 billion in farming assets.
Boutique Waikato cheese producer Meyer Cheese is investing in a new $3.5 million facility, designed to boost capacity and enhance the company's sustainability credentials.
OPINION: The Government's decision to rule out changes to Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) that would cost every farmer thousands of dollars annually, is sensible.
Compensation assistance for farmers impacted by Mycoplama bovis is being wound up.
Selecting the reverse gear quicker than a lovestruck boyfriend who has met the in-laws for the first time, the Coalition Government has confirmed that the proposal to amend Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) charged against farm utes has been canned.
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