Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor, and Climate Change Minister James Shaw are making an announcement in the Wairarapa on the Government's plan to reduce agricultural emissions.
Video / Mark Mitchell
From springtime chatter to questions on the future of farming, over-the-fence conversations have lately taken a deeper turn, a farmer says.
With the Government's proposal on agricultural emissions pricing out for consultation Beef + Lamb New Zealand has been travelling the country speaking with local farmers.
About 40 farmers gathered in Rotorua yesterday to hear about the proposal and how it varied from the He Waka Eke Noa Primary Sector Climate Action Partnership version.
He Waka Eke Noa partners, including Beef Lamb New Zealand, developed two emissions pricing options as alternatives to bringing agriculture into the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) and consulted farmers on these options. It produced recommendations to the Government from this process.
The proposal, announced last month, had prompted protests and criticisms from different camps but concerns from the sector included that it did not reflect some recommendations from the partnership.
But those in the room heard it was a time for negotiation and were encouraged to make a submission on the proposal this month.
Criticisms of the proposal varied but key issues conveyed in the meeting included that existing carbon sequestration was not recognised and that it would have a disproportionate impact on sheep and beef farmers.
The meeting was facilitated by Te Pahu farmer Phil Weir, who said, "when we're having conversations over fences at the moment all attention has moved away from [a] slightly slow spring to, 'what the hell are we going to do about this issue?'"
Te Pahu farmer Phil Weir facilitated the Beef + Lamb New Zealand meeting in Rotorua on Thursday. Photo / Laura Smith
He said the event was about getting feedback from farmers and explaining the differences between the He Waka Eke Noa and Government proposals.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand northern North Island farmer director Martin Coup said the topic was important.
"This is big stuff and this is hard stuff."
He said they were pushing back on the Government: "No, that's not what we asked for. We think it will work better in a different way."
The proposal was "quite significant" for the sector, which the Prime Minister had acknowledged, Coup said.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand northern North Island farmer director Martin Coup speaking in Rotorua. Photo / Laura Smith
"You can't really describe it as tweaking, there are some fundamental changes in what the Government have come back with."
The key issues were that the organisation believed the proposal undermined the work of He Waka Eke Noa, that it felt inequitable and unfair, and that the sector wanted a "just transition".
He said it did not agree with the Government's emissions targets, including methane and long-lived gases, and there was a conversation to come about what the targets should be.
"For us, it's no good if we are outside the tent."
Beef + Lamb New Zealand policy and advocacy general manager Dave Harrison summarised that four outcomes were originally sought.
He said Beef + Lamb wanted choice and control for farmers, which it did not believe was achieved through the Government proposal.
It also wanted a split gas approach between methane and long-lived gases, which was written into the proposal.
Its stance on carbon sequestration was that if a farmer was to pay for what was emitted they should also be rewarded for what they were sequestering or was pulled back in.
Beef and Lamb New Zealand policy and advocacy general manager Dave Harrison in Rotorua. Photo / Laura Smith
The last principle was that revenue from an emission levy should be spent solely on the industry, for example in agricultural research or sequestration support, and only enough should be collected to support that.
Instead, under the proposal, he said the surplus would be used for other climate initiatives.
The consultation document says the partnership recommended revenue recycling – that revenue raised from the levy would be used to drive further emissions reductions and to support farmers and growers to reduce their emissions.
The Government proposed to adopt this recommendation.
Agriculture and Rural Communities Minister Damien O'Connor previously said the proposals from He Waka Eke Noa and the Government were essentially the same.
They differed in only two ways: who should set the price for the split gases, and how sequestration should best be managed.
Both proposals recognised the role of sequestration and its complexity, he said.
"We believe, however, that in accounting for sequestration we must not add unnecessary complexity and paperwork for people on farms.
"That is where we would like to find a practical and efficient solution through this consultation."
A key message from the organisation at the meeting was that it wanted a united voice in submissions from the sector.
The organisation also suggested contacting local Members of Parliament.
Rotorua MP Todd McClay said he had received emails and calls when the proposal was first announced and a number of meetings were coming up in rural areas that would focus on the impact it would have on those communities.
"Farmers who have made contact with me are extremely worried about the costs this will impose on their farms and are feeling singled out and picked on by the Government."
The meetings will be held in Reporoa, Kaharoa and Mamaku. Dates are being finalised.
Consultation on the proposal closes on November 18. More information can be found on the Ministry for the Environment website.
