Tone deaf?
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Farmer lobby Groundswell is organising a nationwide gathering on Thursday to protest the Government’s agriculture emissions pricing plan.
The proposed plan, released last week, is currently in a consultation phase and would see farmers charged an emissions levy on a farm-level.
Previously, Groundswell have been vocal in their opposition to emissions pricing, even presenting an alternative to industry bodies’ He Waka Eke Noa plan. The Government, in making its emissions pricing plan, has taken several recommendations from the He Waka Eke Noa partnership’s plan.
In an email sent to members, Groundswell claims the plan would cut food production by up to 20% in some sectors.
“All this, while households across New Zealand pay more and more for food in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis,” the rural ginger group says.
They claim that emissions pricing will lead to food scarcity, higher food prices, “and even more productive farmland planted in pines, leaving our rural communities and rural businesses hanging by a thread”.
They claim the emissions pricing plan is in breach of the Paris Agreement which set a goal of limiting global warming to below 2 degrees Celsius.
The agreement states that countries must lower emissions “in a manner that does not threaten food production”, something Groundswell claims the Government has breached with the plan currently being consulted on.
“Recent polling shows that most New Zealanders oppose reducing herd sizes to meet emissions reduction targets. Now we can demonstrate that the majority cares deeply enough about it to protest in the streets.”
The nationwide protest is set for towns and cities across the country, with the group telling people to “Come by tractor, truck, ute, car, or on foot”.
The protest will take place at midday this Thursday, 20 October.
Fonterra has cemented its position as the country’s number one cheesemaker by picking up nine NZ Champion of Cheese trophies this year.
New Zealand dairy processors are welcoming the Government’s commitment to continuing to push for Canada to honour its trade commitments.
An educational programme, set up by Beef + Land New Zealand, to connect farmers virtually with primary and intermediate school students has reported the successful completion of its second year.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) has welcomed a resolution adopted by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly to declare 2026 International Year of the Woman Farmer.
Waikato herd health veterinarian Katrina Roberts is the 2024 Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year.
Horticulture NZ chief executive Nadine Tunley will step down in August.
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