Key sticks to climate change stance

Fairfax Media

DO YOUR PART: Prime Minister John Key said today the primary sector would still have to do its part on climate change.

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Prime Minister John Key said today the Government thought of agriculture as the engine of the economy, but the primary sector would still have to do its part on climate change.

Speaking at the Federated Farmers national conference in Auckland this morning, Key said the National Party and Federated Farmers shared many of the same values and it was those values that would drive the country in the years ahead.

"The National led government views agriculture as the key driver of New Zealand's economic engine... When the primary sector sneezes, the New Zealand economy catches a cold," said Key.

He said the country had to play to its strengths, such as cutting edge technology and the skills of its farmers.

"There is no one big idea that we can implement that will make the most of our opportunities in agriculture.  But there are hundreds of small, relatively unexciting, but pragmatic, important things we need to do," he said.

He gave the examples of the Government's Primary Growth Partnership scheme and its water and land forum.

Key is likely to have raised the consternation of some farmers by reiterating the Government's stance that agriculture would have to fall into line behind a future emissions trading scheme.

However, he said the Government was pushing research into greenhouse gas emissions reduction.

"We have always been of the view that agriculture will be part of New Zealand's emissions reductions effort.  Equally, we have always been clear that there must be effective and affordable technology that allows farmers to reduce emissions without reducing productivity," he said.