Emissions can be cut cheaply, say Greens
August 10th, 2009
The Greens say NZ’s dairy sector should switch to a lower intensity, lower input farming model to help cut agriculture emissions and concentrate of obtaining high prices for the reduced output of milk to compensate for potential loss of earnings. The suggestion is part of a multi pronged announcement from the Greens on how to affordably cut greenhouse gas emissions to 40% of 1990 levels by 2020. The Govt and FedFarmers claim a cut of this magnitude is too costly.
Climate change spokeswoman Jeanette Fitzsimons says the Greens’ plan includes a relatively modest 3m tonnes per annum reduction from agriculture, about 7.5% of its current emissions. This comes from switching to lower intensity farming which she says is also likely to be more profitable than the current high stocking rate high input model “Research by AgResearch and Dairy New Zealand showed the intensive dairying model, with high stocking rates and a lot of bought-in inputs, was only profitable at a payout of more than $5.50 a kilogram of milksolids. That is higher than current and projected payouts.”
If dairy farmers more than halve the number of cows per hectare it will cut production costs by avoiding the need to buy supplementary feed, paying other farmers to graze their animals for part of the year and drastically reducing urea and veterinary bills, offsetting any fall in gross income. Fitzsimons adds there could be gains for the balance of payments, including a big fall in the cost of imported fuel. “And maybe Fonterra can find other ways of adding value to milk.”
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