Federated Farmers vows to fight on

Federated Farmers has vowed to continue the fight against the agricultural sector's inclusion in the Emissions Trading Scheme, with some members prepared to take the protest to the steps of Parliament, its national president said yesterday.

In Wellington for the group's national conference, Don Nicolson told The Southland Times that despite some media reports the federation had begrudgingly accepted the farming and agriculture sectors would be included in the scheme, that was far from the truth.

"We don't want it and the farmers are angry."

While the final decision was in the Government's hands, it would also have to face the consequences, he said.

At the conference he had received copious emails from angry members outraged by the scheme and the possibility they would have to pay on average $3000 by 2030 for stock emissions.

It did not make sense for New Zealand's productive sector to be the only one on the planet to be included in the scheme, he said.

If anything, there should be a low-level carbon tax with the money invested in science and technology to improve efficiency, Mr Nicolson said. The Government should at least follow Australia's lead by dropping agriculture from emissions legislation, he said.

Environment Minister Nick Smith told the conference yesterday 48 per cent of New Zealand's emissions came from the agricultural sector, compared with 16 per cent in Australia.

New Zealand's agricultural emissions had increased 12 per cent since 1990, while Australia's fell 6 per cent because of drought and, with climate change, it was likely that could, he said in his speech.

"We in New Zealand just do not have the luxury of excluding agriculture when your sector is such a large portion of New Zealand emissions."

- © Fairfax NZ News

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Vito   #1   05:19 pm Nov 20 2009

Why waste breath and Moo power fighting somthing that will cost you nothing? Come on tell the truth, $3000.00 per year fart tax as that is what it will be, the cost will just be tacked on to the price of product leaving the farm gate. If anyone has the right to object its us the tax payer who is going to be subsidising the poor cow cocky and his latest $60000.00 car!

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