What farmers think about the Zero Carbon Act and He Waka Eke Noa

Snow tops the Takitmu mountains near Te Anau as sheep and beef graze on a perfect spring day in Southland. Photo / Stephen Jaquiery

The vast majority of Kiwi farmers are still in the dark about what the Zero Carbon Act means for them and the implications for the sector. Otago Daily Times' Alice Scott reports.

Statistics show 75 per cent of Kiwi farmers are yet to work out their Green House Gas (GHG) number and a vast majority are still in the dark about what the Zero Carbon Act and what He Waka Eke Noa means for them and the major implications to the sector if it is grouped into the broad-taxing Emissions Trading Scheme.

Steven Nichol farms sheep and beef at Clarks Junction and runs a farm consultancy business.

He says while there are a good number of farmers engaged with He Waka Eke Noa and proposed pricing options, many still had their "heads in the sand, and especially sheep and beef farmers".

"Farmers have their heads down working on their own businesses and the things they can control, for many this is a topic that is just too complicated to try to understand. Emissions aren't something we can see, they aren't tangible, so it's hard to connect," he said.

Nichol said the partnership formed by the levy groups including Beef +Lamb NZ, Federated Farmers, Dairy NZ and Horticulture NZ allowed the industry time to derive alternative pricing options rather than the fall-back option of entering the ETS.

The alternative pricing options take a "split-gas" levy approach treating the three main greenhouse gases differently, depending on their warming potential and rewards those who are making an effort to reduce or offset their farm emissions.

"That was a pretty big win."

There had been a lot of discussion in the media around the alternative options but neither option was a silver bullet for all parties, Nichol said.

"The takeaway from it all is that it's not going away. If we're not engaged, we'll be told what to do and lumped into the ETS - we need to have our say."

Farmers who weren't sure what to do next should look to their industry good organisations for guidance, listen to a webinar, head along to a workshop or reach out to other farmers or farm advisers, he said.

What farmers think

Ben Graham, sheep and beef farmer, Hyde:

"I have just my blinkers on a bit. It's been a busy season and I haven't had the headspace to take too much in about it.

"I am getting to be pretty anti all the rubbish being pushed at us. I guess it's because we've been overwhelmed with a lot ... lately, not just from central government but regional council, too.

"There isn't much point worrying about it, as my old rugby coach would say - focus on the things you can control, don't worry about the things you can't."

Charlotte Dykes, sheep and beef farmer, Middlemarch:

"I have been reading the rural papers about He Waka Eke Noa and I've listened to a couple of webinars on the issue.

"I don't think either of the options presented by He Waka Eke Noa sound entirely fit for purpose but the alternative of being grouped into the ETS is a much worse scenario and what that might mean for the economic viability of farming sheep and beef."

Ed Finlay, dairy farmer, North Otago:

"I don't think there is farmer apathy towards the topic of being part of the Emissions Trading Scheme. But the process of consultation and writing submissions is getting pretty painful.

"I got fired up with the freshwater regulation consultation and wrote a big submission like everyone else and then it all just seemed to fizz out anyway. It's a very draining process when there are so many other things in our business to be focusing on.

"I have listened to a few webinars on the topic of He Waka Eke Noa; the best one yet was one hosted by a bank which I found quite good. They talked about the levy options and what it all means from a budgeting point of view."

"I don't necessarily choose to attend those forums because I have a huge interest in it, it's also to be a bum on a seat so to speak - to show the Government that we are turning up and we are engaged."