Farmers are confused about climate change but the science showing it is occurring is irrefutable, Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor says.
Speaking to a webinar on moving towards a low-emissions future O’Connor said the Government is committed to helping the primary sector.
“We’ve always prided ourselves on our environmental initiatives and management and therefore we have to be at the forefront of including agriculture in emissions reduction and coming up with techniques that can help the rest of the world.”
One of the key reasons for including agriculture in the Emissions Trading Scheme was to give New Zealand momentum in free-trade agreements it is negotiating with the European Union and Britain.
Both jurisdictions are proud of what they have achieved with measures to combat climate change. Kiwi farmers have five years to adjust to the fact of the ETS and since emission prices will still be discounted by 95% initially it is a huge concession, O’Connor said.
Asked about the role of gene editing in lowering emissions he said the country needs to have a mature discussion about the issue because gene editing is a reality.
The Primary Sector Council has not ruled out using the technology.
However, more work needs to be done on what our customers want.
“We may be able to produce lower emissions milk through genetically-modified organisation but what’s the relative value of that compared to our pasture-based, non-GMO milk. We haven’t been very good at doing that market analysis of how it affects the value chain.”
Exporters could take a leaf out of Zespri’s book and replicate the way in which it went into supermarkets and talked to consumers because it has had amazing success.
Referring to the use of the nutrient model Overseer, which calculates the amount of methane, nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide generated on farm and the amount of carbon sequestered in trees, O’Connor said it is not perfect but it is the best available model.
For example, lucerne and plantain are not accounted for in the model. The alternative to using Overseer is an input-based system but an output-based model is preferable.
O’Connor said more research needs to be done on regenerative farming, with products based on the system attracting big premiums, especially in the United States.
“In a general sense our pastoral systems are close to what they would call regenerative in the US.
“We have to establish what is regenerative … and if it can help connect to the values of our consumers and we can deliver on that in a credible way then I think there is potential for us to supply the most discerning customers.”
A possible mitigation measure is the feeding of the native red seaweed asparagopsis armata to livestock. In trials overseas the seaweed has reduced greenhouse gas emissions in cows and sheep by up to 80%.
O’Connor said it would be incredible if the reduction was even just half of that.
Ministry for Primary Industries climate change systems policy manager Jennie Marks said while 63% of farmers believe humans contribute to climate change there is low awareness of farm emissions and measures to combat the problem.
Only about 14% of farmers have calculated their emissions, half of them with a rough estimate and no use of emission tools. Of the 14%, only 2% of farmers know the value of their non-farm emissions.
Last year the Government joined forces with the primary sector and iwi in its He Waka Eke Noa initiative to equip farmers and growers with the knowledge and tools they need to reduce emissions.
Among the goals is that by 2022 all farmers will know their farm emissions. By the beginning of next year they will be given guidance on how to measure and manage emissions through farm planning. At least a quarter of all farms will have a written plan by 2022 and all farms by 2025.
Between 2017-18 and 2020-21 the Government will have invested $107m in research into climate change mitigation. Another $122m has been set aside to provide tools and advice and improve farm emissions data.
