Editorial

Look ahead with a positive mindset

NATIONAL Fieldays is done and dusted for another year and with farm returns pretty good at the moment, vendors were hoping for a positive mood and a splash of cash.

But according to KPMG’s Agribusiness Agenda, released at the Fieldays last week, agribusiness executives are under extreme pressure with staff shortages, supply chain issues and regulation weighing heavily upon them.

It’s a challenging assessment but these are challenging times with covid-19 still wreaking havoc on the world.

The primary sector has held up well throughout the pandemic but it has not been without some major headaches.

The Government’s Situation and Outlook for Primary Industries (SOPI) report, also released late last week, shows just a slight dip in export revenue for the past year.

It predicts revenues to bounce back quickly and eclipse the record returns of 2019-20 in the coming year.

That should be music to the ears of business leaders, but the road to realising those returns is one dotted with potholes.

Regarding regulation, the agenda’s authors say policymakers need to streamline its regime to reduce the burden on the sector.

But they also say primary sector leaders need to ensure they invest in talent and look to the future with a positive growth mindset.

That makes sense, because after all executives are paid to size up the environment they’re trading in and plot the best course to prosperity.

This past year has been tough on everyone and it’s understandable people are feeling under the pump.

In some ways it does seem our food production sector is at a bit of a crossroads and covid-19 has been the jolt that has spurred the globe into rethinking the way it goes about feeding people. That means change, which is tough in the best of times and even more so now. But there’s a world of opportunity out there for those who can seize the moment.

Bryan Gibson

LETTERS Understanding, validating science

BEEF + Lamb New Zealand agrees with Neil Henderson that if methane is reducing by 0.3% a year, then it is not adding additional warming, as mentioned in his Mind made up on levy vote commentary (Farmers Weekly, June 11). We also agree that we need to continue to build understanding of the science that if methane is not increasing, then it has the same effect on the climate as net zero for carbon dioxide.

The Zero Carbon Act target of reducing methane to 24-47% below 2017 levels by 2050 is effectively asking methane-emitters to “cool” the atmosphere, while carbon dioxide is expected to continue warming out to 2050. We have been making this case to the Government and media for some time, but this argument has to date been slow to gain traction.

So, over the last couple of years, we have been focusing on ensuring this science is recognised globally as we know New Zealand often places more weight on what gathers momentum overseas.

We’ve introduced distinguished climate scientists Myles Allen of Oxford University and Dave Frame of Victoria University of Wellington to agricultural groups in the UK, EU and US, the International Beef Alliance and the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef. This is yielding results and building an understanding of the science.

B+LNZ has commissioned research by Stewart Ledgard to estimate the carbon footprint of NZ beef and lamb using GWP* – a metric that much better represents the warming impact of short-lived gases such as methane.

In parallel, we have been seeking recognition for the sequestration happening on sheep and beef farms. If farmers are to face a price for emissions, then it is imperative (and only fair) that they get recognition for the genuine sequestration happening on their farms.

The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment recommended that only biological emissions should be able to be offset by forestry because of the complementary life cycles of pines and native forests with methane and nitrous oxide.

Neil is correct that B+LNZ did not take up a remit to undertake a large-scale campaign that livestock do not and cannot cause significant warming. This remit was actually voted down by farmers. At the time the remit was submitted, it was a blanket statement that methane was not adding to warming. The science has since evolved; if methane is increasing, then it does significantly contribute to warming, but if it is reducing, it does not. We need to acknowledge the impact on climate change if methane is increasing, but we will continue to advocate for agriculture not to be asked to do any more than other sectors in addressing climate change and ensuring that the reduction targets for our sector are fair.

Andrew Morrison

Beef + Lamb New Zealand

Farmers Weekly is published by GlobalHQ, PO Box 529, Feilding 4740. New Zealand Phone: 0800 85 25 80 Website: www.farmersweekly.co.nz EDITOR Bryan Gibson 06 323 1519

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