Campbell Parker: Dairy NZ CEO on the Government removing agriculture from the emissions trading scheme

Dairy NZ's welcoming the Government's decision to keep agriculture out of the Emissions Trading Scheme. 

A law change will stop farming being charged through the scheme, which offsets credits against emitting.  

It's also disestablished He Waka Eke Noa and plans to replace it with a new group tasked with tackling methane emissions from farming.  

Dairy NZ chief executive Campbell Parker told Mike Hosking that they're looking forward to having more precise emission targets. 

He says when farmers get clarity, they will invest in the things needed to improve their farms. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's a good news for farmers. As Haywakano is dead,
the farmers aren't going to be put into the ETS
and a new way of measuring emissions will need to
be found. Of course, they're in New Zealand. CEO Campbell
Parkers with us. Campbell morning to you, morni wake, how
are you very well? Indeed? Thank your common sense arrives
at last? Is that how you see it?

Speaker 2 (00:17):
Olin? This has been signaled for some time and it's
good to have the clarity and to have a day
test when it will be removed. So we welcome the
announcement yesterday.

Speaker 1 (00:27):
How real was hawakanoa? In other words, it was purported
by the previous government that everyone was come by holding
hands and you're all in this together. Was that ever true?

Speaker 2 (00:36):
I wasn't in my role at the time, Mike, but
from what I hear, talking with people is a huge
amount if they went into hear what you can are
And unfortunately it stalled and didn't progress. But certainly as
an industry we want to own the issues and have
an input into that. So we look forward to the
new group that's set up, the new pastoral group, and
you know we're ready to work actively on behalf of

(00:57):
farmers in that space.

Speaker 1 (00:59):
Has enough in general been put on the fact farmers
are extremely good at what they do. They're not idiots.
They don't want to burn the planet down, and that
should be taken into account.

Speaker 2 (01:09):
Yeah, we also need to ensure we're using the most
appropriate and up to date science in this whole discussion.
You know, targets are targets, and you know, farmers want
to do the right thing and make progress towards you know,
more efficient production, profitable production, and good environmental outcomes, but
they do need clarity around the policy settings. So that's

(01:32):
what we're looking forward to.

Speaker 1 (01:34):
Are you optimistic you'll get there? Can get there? Oh?

Speaker 2 (01:37):
Look, I am optimistic. I'm an optimistic person. And you know,
I think we've got to work incredibly hard on behalf
of farmers to get what I would call enduring policy
in place, because otherwise we get stuck in a cycle.
And when farmers have clarity and we get enduring policy,
they will invest in the things that they need to
to improve their farms. And you know, understand here at

(01:59):
field Days and you know, it's a great example of
farmers that will adopt innovation and continue to, you know,
push forward and do a great job producing high quality product.
You know that the world demands.

Speaker 1 (02:10):
Couldn't agree more. We've talked to Peter Nation in a
couple of moments, got a good vibe there at the moment.

Speaker 2 (02:15):
Yes, just it's just clearing, so it's a little bit
hard to tell, but it's very busy. I've come outside
and found a quiet spot. And you know farmers, you know,
always come to field days. I think we'll have a
busy Wednesday and Thursday. The weather looks a little bit,
you know, in clement on Friday, but we cannot forget
a critical role that farmers play in the economy. You know,

(02:38):
twenty five billion with exports from dairy to the end
of April this year. And you know, when farmers do well,
communities do well. In New Zealand does well. So we
look forward to the next couple of days talking to
a few of them.

Speaker 1 (02:49):
Good stuff, well said, you go well, Campbell Parker, who's
the DAAR in New Zealand CEO. For more from the
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