Farmers remain far from convinced of the merits of the government’s response to the He Waka Eke Noa (HWEN) agricultural emissions charging document.
A second meeting of southern farmers within a week was dominated by anger, exasperation, accusations that levy bodies are not fighting hard enough and claims political ideology is trumping common sense – all underpinned by contempt for the government policy.
About 50 people attended the Beef + Lamb NZ Southern South Island Farmer Council meeting in South Otago on Monday following a BLNZ meeting in Gore on Friday at which about 100 farmers expressed similar sentiments.
Discussion on Monday rapidly switched to the impact of the government’s proposal to cost agricultural emissions.
Council chair Graham Evans described the day the government released its response to the industry’s HWEN document as his worst day this year.
“I felt so betrayed by [Prime Minister] Jacinda Ardern and her government.
“She could have gone forward and worked with it but she has been disrespectful at the amount of work that has gone into it. It is such a kick in the guts,” Evans said.
He paid tribute to BLNZ chair Andrew Morrison, saying he has acted with integrity, and he dismissed those who have attacked him and BLNZ.
Evans also put into context the fact half New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions come from agriculture, noting that they are generated from a sector that supplies food to 44 million people.
Some farmers said levy groups should walk away and ignore the pricing of emissions, taking a lead from the Southland Federated Farmers executive, who have vowed not to apply for resource consent for intensive winter grazing next winter.
Morrison said it is his intention to stay within HWEN.
Others said the government was acting against the Paris Agreement on climate change, which states that food production should not be affected by carbon reduction policies.
BLNZ chief executive Sam McIvor said the organisation regularly raises this point with the government.
McIvor said doing nothing is not an option because agriculture will be placed in the more costly Emissions Trading Scheme, and the National Party has said if it is in government, it will also price emissions.
He noted that a recent poll showed the public supports farmers in what is classified as vegetation to sequester carbon and not wanting farmers taxed for methane.
All speakers urged farmers to make submissions and to personalise them with data and details on the impact of the policy on their businesses.
