INDUSTRY GOOD
with DairyNZ
More than 3500 dairy farmers already have Farm Environment Plans to identify farm environmental risks and solutions to improve water quality and reduce greenhouse gases.
Better is best Dr Tim Mackle DairyNZ chief executive
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his year will see most sectors facing significant change as we all look hard at how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Agriculture is very much part of the solution and as we respond to covid-19, a new government and tackling New Zealand’s future, the daily business of farming is shifting rapidly too. Dairy farming accounts for 23% of NZ’s greenhouse gases and as we address climate change as a nation, we are tasked with producing our world-class milk while reducing footprint. Internationally, we stack up well already. Kiwis are some of the most sustainable dairy producers in the world – the emissions created from every glass of NZ milk are less than half the global average. But we know we can be even better. We need to sustain our success as
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other nations will catch up, so we must do even better to stay ahead of the game. Right now, we are working on our primary sector climate change partnership, He Waka Eke Noa, which is an industry, government and iwi/Maori commitment to help farmers reduce emissions and build the framework to report and price agriculture emissions by 2025. The Climate Change Commission assesses the primary sector’s progress against He Waka Eke Noa milestones, which supports our commitment to reduce emissions from farms. Significant research is being undertaken to support how we reduce emissions. Already more than 3500 dairy farmers have Farm Environment Plans (FEPs), helping identify farm environmental risks and solutions to help water quality and reduce greenhouse gases. Like many sectors, shifting day-today practices is a journey and it does involve incremental changes that help us maintain viable businesses, which spend locally and provide employment. Adapting feed and crop use, fertiliser and effluent practices, fencing and planting waterways, and so on, will
reduce farm footprint both individually and collectively across NZ. The Zero Carbon Bill was the start of a new era for all New Zealanders. For farmers, it means understanding the emissions produced from their farm and tailoring solutions to reduce that footprint.
“We need to sustain our success as other nations will catch up, so we must do even better to stay ahead of the game.”
Over 90% of dairy farmers will receive a farm emission report this year. Understanding the source of those emissions and how a farm compares to others is the first step in reducing a farm’s footprint. As dairy farmers we are making great strides in reducing environmental impact and it’s crucial we acknowledge that, as we commit to even more in the next five years and beyond. n
DAIRY FARMER
February 2021
