fbpx
Print this page
Tuesday, 21 November 2017 09:55

Farmers back Fonterra’s emissions goal

Written by  Sudesh Kissun
Fonterra plans to achieve zero emissions by 2050. Fonterra plans to achieve zero emissions by 2050.

Farmers are supporting Fonterra’s push for net zero carbon-dioxide emissions from all plants worldwide by 2050.

Federated Farmers climate change spokesperson Andrew Hoggard says farmers will be watching with interest how the co-op achieves the “bold” target.

While farmer organisations work on promising emission-control options, much work remains.

“The science we are attempting -- to reduce the methane produced in a ruminant’s stomach -- isn’t simple stuff and there is no guarantee we will be able to achieve these options,” Hoggard says.

“Even if we do, we still face hurdles in being able to prove it at the farm level for carbon accounting.”

Reducing CO2 is not just a New Zealand issue, he says.

“Fonterra has made these commitments based on what it aims to achieve worldwide, in its global business, not just onfarm and in factories in NZ.

“Kiwis should be proud that Fonterra and our country’s dairy farmers are prepared to step up and pull their weight to tackle climate change.”

Fonterra has joined the Ministry for the Environment to map a path to a low-emissions future -- identifying actions to reduce emissions, improve energy efficiency and reduce costs.

Fonterra’s chief operating officer Robert Spurway says it’s an “exciting and ambitious partnership that will materially impact on climate emissions”.

“We are committed to helping NZ achieve its Paris Climate Agreement commitments. That’s why we’ve set new targets to reduce on-site and on-farm emissions. We’ve set a target of net zero emissions for our global operations by 2050, with a 30% reduction by 2030 from a 2015 baseline,” says Spurway.

The co-op will hit this target by making changes at manufacturing sites and adopting new technologies -- greater energy-use efficiency and useing lower-emission fuels, e.g. running tankers on bio-fuel and bringing 100 electric vehicles into its light vehicle fleet by 2019.

“We are also exploring low-emission energy supply options for our sites, such as electricity and wood biomass. We will only use coal as a last resort, with a target of no new coal boilers installed from 2030,” says Spurway.

Fonterra has also set an interim target of climate-neutral growth to 2030 for onfarm emissions in NZ, which means any growth in milk production will have its resulting carbon emissions reduced or offset.

Hoggard says farmers would like to see more government funding to reduce emissions.

“Before the election Feds challenged all political parties to spend more on research to reduce biological agricultural emissions, so if Fonterra is going to spend more on this it would be good to see the government match it,” he says.

More like this

A significant fertiliser breakthrough?

Former ACT MP and Federated Farmers president Owen Jennings believes he's come across a new fertilising method in Australia that yields "outstanding results".

Marlborough drought declaration welcomed

Marlborough Federated Farmers has got some real concern about the mental wellbeing of farmers and their families in the region because of the drought and there’s a lot of pressure starting to build.

SNAs will go - eventually

Despite some earlier confusion around the exact timing, the new Government is moving to reform the way local bodies implement Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) rules on farmland.

Featured

Sheep drench resistance costly

Analysis by Dunedin-based Techion New Zealand shows the cost of undetected drench resistance in sheep has exploded to an estimated $98 million a year.

Dairy sheep and goat turmoil

Dairy sheep and goat farmers are being told to reduce milk supply as processors face a slump in global demand for their products.

Hurry up and slow down!

OPINION: We have good friends from way back who had lived in one of our major cities for many years.

National

Knowing bugs means fewer drugs

A mastitis management company claims to deliver the fastest and most accurate mastitis testing available at scale for New Zealand…

Machinery & Products

AGTEK and ARGO part ways

After 12 years of representing the Landini and McCormick brands in New Zealand, Bay of Plenty-based AGTEK and the brands’…

100 years of Farmall Tractors

Returning after an enforced break, the Wheat and Wheels Rally will take place on the Lauriston -Barhill Road, North-East of…

JD unveils its latest beast

John Deere has unveiled its most powerful tractor ever, with the launch of the all new 9RX Series Tractor line-up…

Biggest Quadtrac coming to NZ!

In the biggest announcement that Case IH Australia/New Zealand has made around its tractor range, its biggest tractor is about…