Working with nature pays off for farmers
The future direction is clear when it comes to environmental policy and limiting greenhouse gas emissions, says New Zealand Special Agricultural Trade Envoy Mike Petersen.
The new target of zero net emissions would be tough for farmers and it was not yet clear what it would mean, he told farmers at the national deer industry conference in Timaru. ‘‘We need to get onboard with this. The Government has pledged to work with farmers and allow a transition period and to help with technology.
‘‘Even if there was a change of government, I don’t think a National Government would reverse this work or reinstate oil and gas exploration.’’
While every farm should have a farm environmental plan, he believed this would go further in the future.
‘‘Farmers will have a single farm plan that will cover environmental stewardship, animal welfare, traceability and tracking movements [Nait] and GHG emissions.
‘‘That will be challenging for some farmers, but that will be the direction of travel.
‘‘We will need that plan, as that will be the evidence of the integrity of what we do for the story that New Zealand needs to promote to markets.’’
‘‘That will allow us to differentiate ourselves as the natural, unprocessed alternative to some of the challenges facing the sector.’’ The integrity of New Zealand’s agricultural production systems was unparalleled elsewhere in the world, but a story and vision was needed. ‘‘This would be focused on working with nature to create high-value food from the most beautiful and trusted place on earth.
New Zealand needed trade access to affluent markets if it expected consumers to continue paying top prices for its products, said Petersen.
‘‘In the past, many of our trade agreements have been with less wealthy countries.
‘‘We need to make sure we have access into the most affluent markets in the world if we are going to get true value from our added-value products.’’
Following Brexit, New Zealand wanted to protect its existing access and establish new trade agreements into Europe and the United Kingdom.
‘‘We are at or near the top of the queue when the UK starts negotiating post-Brexit.’’
Next week New Zealand expected to get the mandate from Europe to start official negotiations.
The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for TransPacific Partnership trade agreement was huge, even without the United States’ participation.
‘‘For New Zealand to be in this agreement is an absolute must,’’he said.