INDUSTRY NEWS
A ticket to the game Thought leadership by Farmlands’ Head of Sustainability and Land Use, Katie Vickers The evidence is clear that we are facing major climate change. The recent release of the Climate Change
The Government has mandated some clear primary sector climate change commitments that our farmers and growers need to meet: • By December 2021, a quarter of all New Zealand farms must know their
Commission draft budget report on
annual greenhouse gas number.
how New Zealand is to achieve a low
• This will rise to 100 percent of farms
carbon economy is indicative of this.
required by December 2022.
Achieving a low carbon economy
• By January 2025, all farms must
is something that we need to care
also have an integrated Farm
about so that New Zealand farmers
Environment Plan that incorporates
and growers can maintain the global
emissions reductions, emissions
recognition we have for our farming
offsets and climate adaptation and
practices — we responsibly produce
be using an agreed accounting
some of best food and fibre in the world
system for reporting their emissions.
and want to keep it that way.
Is there support available to help
As we know more, we must do more.
meet these commitments?
With increased science and consumer
Yes, absolutely. He Waka Eke Noa
Farmer reference groups are also
knowledge around biogenic methane,
is a partnership between industry
actively working within the programme.
carbon sequestration and fossil fuel
bodies, Māori and Government and
This is a ticket to the game for New
use, we must continue to use our
has been developed to help equip
Zealand. As a country that relies heavily
learnings to develop new systems that
farmers and growers with knowledge,
on our export market, He Waka Eke
best support our future generations
tools and support to report, manage
Noa will help to strengthen our trade
and help us meet the consumers’
and reduce emissions on farm.
access in the future — it is important
requirements. Farmlands has a duty
Farmlands is actively seeking out
we support and understand our part to
of care to support our shareholders
support systems that will work best
play in this programme.
with these developments and assist
for our farmers and growers.
in helping farmers and growers
Farmlands is committed to joining
By proposing a partnership approach
understand what it all means.
the combined effort to help our
instead of regulating agricultural
shareholders shape this future. We are
As part of global efforts to combat
emissions under the Emissions
here to support you as you continue to
climate change, New Zealand has
Trading Scheme (ETS), He Waka Eke
grow great things.
committed, as part of the Paris
Noa ensures the best interests of
Agreement, to join other countries in
the farmers are considered first and
reducing greenhouse gas emissions to
foremost. Under the He Waka Eke Noa
limit the increase in the global average
programme, the primary sector, Māori
temperature to 1.5°C above
and the Government are collaborating
pre-industrial levels. The agriculture
on ways to reduce emissions through
sector has specific farm emission
farm planning and developing a pricing
reduction targets within this.
mechanism suited to agribusiness.
WWW.FARMLANDS.CO.NZ
| Katie Vickers, Head of Sustainability and Land Use.
For He Waka Eke Noa's greenhouse gas farm planning advice visit www.hewakaekenoa.nz For details on New Zealand’s climate commitments, see www.mfat.govt.nz/en/environment/ climate-change/meeting-our-targets
Farmlands Co-operative Society Limited | © March 2021. All rights reserved.
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