Tuesday, March 19, 2024

BLOG: Farmers are right to ask questions

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Last week Regional Development Minister Shane Jones called farmers a bunch of moaners for voicing concerns about the billion trees policy and the Zero Carbon Bill.
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We’ll put aside the fact that it’s not a great way to engage with a large and important constituency for now. But Jones must realise his policies have consequences that are going to alter rural New Zealand forever.

In last week’s editorial I urged farmers to get on board with the Zero Carbon Bill as a concept because it provides a path to sustainability and can ensure our customers continue to be happy to hear our farming story. That means they’ll also be happy to keep buying our food. The details of it, which are not yet set in stone, can be challenged but the concept is sound.

I now urge the Government to tone down its rhetoric too. Farmers are not moaners for trying to protect their livelihoods – the farms that have in many cases been in the family for generations. They have questions that need to be answered and dismissing them offhand is not the way to take people along with you.

It is a fact that swapping livestock for trees over millions of hectares of productive land will alter things somewhat. There are details that need to be addressed to make that transition work for everyone. If farmers are going to help offset emissions from other industries how will they be compensated? Why can’t they offset their own emissions at this stage? We’re told they’re the biggest emitters so it makes sense to let them solve their own problems.

So everyone needs to take a breath and hopefully agree they want to get to the same place. Then they need to engage constructively to put in place a plan that will ensure all-around success. Livelihoods and reputations depend on it.

Bryan Gibson

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