All while ensuring long-term benefits to farm businesses, the local economy and the environment.
That was the buy-in for more than 60 farmers and industry stakeholders who attended a Canterbury Agribusiness carbon farming seminar.
Most attendees when asked why they attended said the same – to understand something that’s all a bit new and learn what opportunities are available to them.
In a Carbon 101, Lincoln University research scientist Anita Wreford presented figures highlighting a 13.5% increase in agricultural emissions in New Zealand between 1990 and 2017.
That was largely driven by doubling dairy production and a 650% increase in nitrogen fertiliser application.
Wreford said NZ agricultural emissions are expected to increase on the back of a growing economy and global demand and if agriculture does not make a contribution every other industry will have to pick up the tab,
So what can farmers do?
The harsh level is constraints on the types of agricultural activity and movement to low-emissions land use.
“But we don’t want to see rules imposed on what you can and can’t do.”
Technologies to cut emissions and get the best out of good management practice are feasible.
“Every farmer has the ability to improve what they are doing with many co-benefits in what you are doing today just needing a little tweaking to improve.”
Wreford said NZ’s approach to emissions reduction is evolving and dynamic.
“Currently the Emissions Trading Scheme is the main tool.”
What are other countries doing was a question from the floor.
“Looking at NZ for leadership as for most other countries their agricultural emissions are not so important – most at only 10%. We are 47% and next to us is Ireland at 30%,” Wreford said.
“No-one else needs to attack agricultural emissions as we do so every country is watching to see what we are going to do.”
There has been no pricing of agricultural emissions elsewhere yet.
“NZ is a leader in this space.”
Permanent Forests managing director Mark Belton was the first forestry specialist in carbon 15 years ago.
“Man, it’s been a rough road,” he said.
“All talk has to translate to action to have any effect at all towards the end goal and that is the Paris Climate Agreement.”
NZ’s measures are considered inadequate and sufficient to get only two-thirds of the way to its required target levels so that’s where carbon farming and ETS kick in.
The economics of creating a NZ carbon units mean the price for land can’t be high.
“Good land shouldn’t be under threat of trees. If it is then it’s a totally irresponsible investor,” Belton said.
“High value land is uneconomic for carbon forestry – we will not be buying expensive farmland for forestry carbon farming
“You can do it very cost effectively on marginal farmland. We do not have to go to good land.
“We’re focused on supporting landowners, particularly farmers, to get the best out of their land by integrating trees into the landscape.”
