Response ID ANON-SYE4-4PP2-B
Submitted to Pricing agricultural emissions
Submitted on 2022-11-18 22:14:34
Submitter details
1 Submitter name
Individual or organisation name:
Marton Young Farmers Club
2 Are you submitting as an individual or on behalf of an organisation?
Organisation
3 What is your contact email address?
Email:
9(2)(a)
4 Which region are you in?
Select your region:
Manawatū-Whanganui
5 Please choose any you are associated with:
Agricultural process or representative, Farmer/grower, Rural professional or farm advisor
Other: please specify here:
Provide general feedback
15 Do you have any other priority issues that you would like to share on the Government’s proposals for addressing agricultural emissions?
Add your comments, ideas, and feedback here.:
Upload supporting documentation
Upload documentation:
Pricing Agricultural Emissions - MYFC.pdf was uploaded
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2 If yes to the above, clearly state if there are parts of your submission that you do not want published.
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MARTON YOUNG FARMERS CLUB SUBMISSION ON PRICING
AGRICULTURAL EMISSIONS CONSULTATION DOCUMENT
PRICING AGRICULTURAL EMISSIONS ||
HE WAKA EKE NOA
15TH NOVEMBER 2022
Dear Ministry for the Environment & the New Zealand Government,
Thank you for the opportunity to make a submission on the Government’s Pricing Agricultural
Emissions consultation document. By way of introduction we are a club of New Zealand’s next
generation of farmers, agricultural support employees & rural professionals, with 32 members. On
behalf of the club, three members have each written a part of our submission – an introduction &
industry section, part two is recommendations to the proposed pricing emissions strategy, and the
third is a personal perspective of a farmer – one which will be shared by thousands throughout our
country.
Our club is one of the oldest in the country, formed in 1938 and therefore 83 years old. The club
comprises of people from the sheep, beef and deer, dairy, horticulture and arable sectors, so we
believe that we encompass much of the primary sector. As a club we agree that consumers and
exporters are signaling a change to their consumer demands. We also agree that climate change is
threatening growing seasons, the livelihoods of farmers and therefore international food security.
We agree that every person has a role to play in reducing their emission footprint and
environmental impact.
However, on the 15th of November of this year the global population reached 8 billion people. This
trend is expected to increase, and so must global food production. It seems counterintuitive to
reduce New Zealand food production, especially given the low carbon footprint and that most of our
produce is exported, playing both a vital role in the economy and availability of low carbon produce
into international markets. Furthermore, it defies one of the key guidelines in the Paris Agreement –
that actions to combat climate change should not be pursued at the expense of food production.
We recognise and appreciate that the He Waka Eke Noa (HWEN) system is a better alternative that
the ETS system. However, within the Government’s own issued document it quotes that “as… the
meat and dairy sectors are … New Zealand’s two largest export earners, the total revenue of the
agriculture sector is significantly affected.” Calculations within the paper confirm that the New
Zealand dairy industry will see a reduction in net revenue of 6-7% and 18-24% for the sheep & beef
sector – therefore estimating that one fifth of sheep & beef farmers must sell their farms following
the introduction of the pricing scheme. It is concerning that the government would propose that one
of New Zealand’s largest export earners – the agricultural sector which contributes circa $52billion
dollars in export earning annually will be jeopardised with these financial constraints. Furthermore,
it is also concerning that this land will be converted to forestry which may provide no value addition
and if is planted for carbon credits, is simply an internal wealth transfer – potentially to an overseas
investor. Both concepts seem incredibly short sighted and far from the three pillars of sustainability
being economic, environment and social. This point is very concerning to our club, hence the
submission.
9(2)(a)
9(2)(a)
Agribusiness Analyst for Rabobank,
generation sheep and beef farmer, 9(2)(a)
.
We propose the following changes:
1. The sheep and beef sector (primarily hill country) will be disproportionately affected by the
levy – there are few mitigation options available for extensive S+B farms other than
sequestration.
a. Consider increasing the incentive for rewards or decreasing the price of methane.
2. HWEN will consider using a hybrid system prior to getting farm-level pricing, as well as
considering N fertiliser in the ETS
a. Avoid N in ETS as will not recognise best management practice, nor incentivise
behaviour change. Avoid processor hybrid as a lot of money will go towards setting
this up, and then setting up the farm-level system. In essence the administration
costs will go up, resulting in decreased R&D. Would recommend delaying the pricing
until have farm level ready to go – can record emissions until set up.
3. Proposal of simple central calculator for calculating emissions.
a. Need to have a detailed calculator which can identify behaviour change and
measure emissions more accurately.
4. Methane price questioned to be 1 or 3 year price setting
a. Recommend that methane price is set by 3 years as opposed to one, as gives
farmers time to adjust & will reduce fluctuations.
5. Government proposals excluded some of the additional sequestration categories.
a. Recognise more sequestration categories – however these need to be cost effective
and have technology to be able to recognise this.
6. Further changes proposed include:
• Pricing methane on meeting climate targets (secondary to socioeconomic impacts)–
currently there is no clear indication as to how this decision will be made and there has been
no analysis to date to financially quantify this impact on New Zealand.
• There should also be some consideration to social impacts, especially given that it is one of
the three pillars of sustainability.
9(2)(a)
9(2)(a)
Agribusiness and Environment consultant for AgFirst,
generation sheep and beef
farmer 9(2)(a)
9(2)(a)
.
My name is 9(2)(a)
, I am 9(2)(a) years old and I am the 9(2)(a) generation farmer on our family
farm near 9(2)(a) Growing up with such an awesome back door step, with access and to be able to
witness first hand, the knowledge of how some of our food in this world is made, this brings with it,
great passion and drive for that to continue.
Like many other farmers throughout our country, our farm has been passed on through the
generations. This would not have been able to happen without innovation and constantly seeking
out new ways of making our farm succeed. Why at 9(2)(a) with hopefully many years to come, would I
want to see our farm be destroyed. I love being able to drive around our small piece of nature and
appreciate all aspects of it. Yes there are many things I want to improve upon, but how am I
supposed to do that if I am spending all our extra money to pay a tax, instead of planting a few
natives, or paying to improve our technologies or spending that money educating myself to grow our
business sustainably.
I may only play a tiny part in our world's food supply, but it's the hundreds and thousands of New
Zealanders, who like myself, contribute to New Zealands part in Food Supply globally. The globe is
already fast approaching a Food Shortage, so why on earth would you want to encourage that? We
contribute so much to the world food demand, and with policies they are proposing, this is only
going to decrease our ability to grow world leading food. So with such a large global crisis quickly
approaching all of our back doors, why on earth are we being punished for producing world leading
food!?
Within our farming business, the biggest goal that currently affects our business, above all else, is to
see our farm be sustainable and regenerative for years to come. I have created massive stepping
stones for us to achieve this, although always learning and developing, I believe in the past 3 years
we have made massive milestones in achieving this goal.
As a nation, we are the most efficient farmers in the world in regards to GHG emissions. Yes, there is
ALWAYS room for improvement, but one thing I have learnt in the last few years, is when working
with the environment, patience is by far, the biggest challenge people as a whole, have to work on.
Unfortunately to everyone's disappointment, nature won't correct itself overnight. Yes, education is
vastly needed to help improve everyone's mindset. But that only comes from teaching and coaching
people through, not forcing everyone into a corner and being told off. How can you expect people to
grow and evolve if you aren't willing to listen and understand key issues at farm level. YES there are
issues, YES there are ways to improve, but every industry has them. New Zealand farmers have some
awesome knowledge, awesome people, awesome innovation, and massive respect, within New
Zealand and Globally. With the current proposal in place, this could all go up in smoke. There are so
many amazing ways to improve people's mindset, and terrible ways. Forcing opinions on people,
whether they be good or bad, right or wrong, never ever ends with a happy ending. Forcing people
to pay a tax that they effectively can't do anything about is one of the terrible ways.
9(2)(a)
9(2)(a)
Farm Manager,
generation sheep and beef farmer, 9(2)(a)
On behalf of Marton Young Farmers, I would like to again take the opportunity to thank you for
allowing us to make a submission concerning the proposed pricing of agricultural emissions. I
personally wish that my children & my children’s children will also have the privilege that I had, to
grow up on a farm, learn how to raise animals & contribute to feeding the world. Our livelihoods,
jobs & this industry is beautiful, we care so much about what we do & the land we do it on.
Please ensure that a fair balance is struck between achieving climate change targets & allowing our
industry to continue growing the most carbon neutral food in the world. The farmers of New
Zealand, the New Zealand economy & therefore all New Zealanders depend on it.
Kind regards, and thank you again,
9(2)(a)
Marton Young Farmers Club 9(2)(a)
