Federated Farmers: Climate change aspiration ambitious

Anders Crofoot

Federated Farmers believes the Government's Climate Change target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 30 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030 is ambitious for New Zealand.

Federation Climate Change Spokesperson Anders Crofoot points to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report, which recommends reducing fossil fuel use as the major focus to achieve this target.

However, agriculture will also play its part in development of technologies which will increase productivity while reducing carbon intensity of primary sector products.

Mr Crofoot said: "Agriculture takes its responsibilities as New Zealand and global citizens seriously and the primary sector already has an impressive track record in achieving carbon efficiency.

"We continue to play a role in meeting the world's demand for nutrient-dense protein and finding solutions which address both climate change concerns and the food security dynamic. To date, the amount of carbon released in producing a block of butter here in New Zealand is the lowest in the world. It is important to make sure our approach to reducing New Zealand's emissions does not undermine our critical export industries.

"In a resource-constrained world, it is vital to use resources efficiently and wisely. Climate change does not begin or end at our borders and New Zealand plays a vital world-leading role as one of the most emission efficient food producers and exporters in the world."

Mr Crofoot said New Zealand's primary sector has made huge gains in carbon efficiency in the past three decades, through enhanced animal and plant genetics, as well as through a much greater understanding of livestock digestion and metabolism.

He says our agricultural emissions intensity has declined more than 20 per cent since 1990.

"Reducing emissions from biological systems such as dairy cows is not easy. That's why since 2003, New Zealand's agricultural sector has invested $30 million to help find solutions."

AgResearch scientists have already identified five different animal-safe compounds that can reduce methane emissions from sheep and cattle by 30 to 90 per cent.

Further trials are needed to confirm that these compounds can reduce emissions in the long term, have no adverse effects on productivity and leave no residues in meat or milk.

But all going well, we could possibly see a commercial product for use on-farm within five to 10 years.

"Continued investment will be required to develop science to reduce and treat biological agricultural emissions. This is how we can make a considerable contribution to reducing global greenhouse gas emissions by getting larger developing country emitters to adopt our technologies," he said.

New Zealand is already sharing its developments and gains through the Ministry for Primary Industries and Federated Farmers Global Research Alliance World Farmers Organisation Study Tours.

The aim is to increase global understanding on agricultural greenhouse gas research and engage farmers on environmental management practices that support sustainable productivity.

"The task before us now is to work on solutions built off an understanding of the strengths we have as an agricultural producer, and how best we can grow those strengths in a manner that improves emissions efficiency and farm productivity," Mr Crofoot said.