And yet ... I too am feeling a bit jaded.
The looming threat of a methane tax on agriculture leaves me astounded.
A tax in my view based not on sound current science.
A tax that will cripple agriculture and as such, our country.
A tax that will see even more productive farmland sacrificed for whole-scale pine planting.
For decades we have been under pressure to change stocking rates, farm policy and systems to address concerns over environment, water and emissions.
Our sector has been working along this path with great progress. This proposed tax will do nothing to further our progress, in fact, it could do the opposite, as funds directed to positive changes leave our hands as a negative tax.
Agriculture is not without responsibility but:
- The beach on the farm is absolutely littered with plastic. Heartbreaking.
- As I look to the east from the top of the Waikaretu Valley I can see the Huntly smokestacks. Indonesian coal is being stockpiled as New Zealand coal mining ceases.
- Bumper-to-bumper traffic heading in and out of Auckland and Hamilton. Most vehicles carrying one person.
- Water treatment systems all along the Waikato River are routinely overflowing in rain events, which we have had constantly this year. Agriculture given the burden of blame for water quality issues?
- Huge housing developments are sprouting all along the route, adding pressure on the water treatment plants, waste management and motorways; not to mention schools and hospitals.
- Rural schools are investigating the cost of wool carpet despite the Government’s offer of a free synthetic, plastic, imported option as they see the benefits and obvious superiority of a wool product.
So much room for improvement. So many areas where New Zealand needs to clean up its act.
Agriculture being charged with the burden of responsibility is ridiculous.
When it comes to methane testing rams - we need to fully understand the long-term impact of selection for low methane on rumen size, growth and fat deposition.
I will be continuing to innovate and select for the most efficient sheep in the world.
Efficiency trumps emissions taxes, seaweed extracts, rumen boluses, pasture spray and methane genetics - every time.
Listen to Jamie Mackay interview Kate Broadbent on The Country below:
I will continue to produce highly disease and parasite-tolerant genetics. Moderate-sized, long-lived ewes with robust constitution and superior maternal ability, producing fast-growing lambs with high yields – these are part of the solution.
Drench failure, biodiversity, SNAs, winter grazing restrictions, environment, water and methane madness.
All these challenges facing agriculture point to the requirement to reduce numbers and increase efficiency to maintain profit.
This is what I want to be part of. Producing more from less.
Our sector knows how to do this.
Tangible results on-farm from genetic and systems adaptation which reduces input and increases profit.
Claiming farmers resist change is absurd.
We embrace change as we respond to market pressures, weather challenges, technology advancements and government policy. This is our history.
Agriculture can continue to clean up its act by doing what we already do so well.
We will continue to plant trees, retire areas, and adapt our systems to protect soil, biodiversity and water while reducing inputs and increasing efficiency and performance to remain profitable.
It is easy to feel overwhelmed, defeated, frustrated – and jaded- I hope we can also see opportunity.
New Zealand’s farmers are superstars, not villains.
We produce protein from grass with a high level of animal welfare and environmental stewardship.
We are world leaders.
Embrace this.
Keep your head up and keep doing what we do so very well.
