Listen: 'A lot at stake' for farmers in emissions report

DairyNZ chairman Dr Tim Mackle. Photo / Supplied

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Although DairyNZ supports the Climate Change Committee's (ICCC) suggestions on bringing farmers into the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) by 2025, it still has some concerns says Dr Tim Mackle.

"We don't support their recommendation that agriculture is brought into the ETS with a rebate-type system where you're taking money off farmers. We don't actually think that's going to get us to that place where we do see better management of emissions" DairyNZ's chief executive told The Country's Jamie Mackay.

The interim charge for processors may seem low at one cent per kilogram of milk solids, but Mackle said this would put pressure on farmers already under the pump.

Listen below:

"If you add that on top of everything else that's going on, you know, obviously as you know we've got M. bovis ... the actual levies that we're collecting now, we've converted a lot of that into this kind of work".

DairyNZ alone could use at least $20 million of its farmer investment towards research and adoption of staff policy "that actually relates to this whole climate change agenda" said Mackle.

"There's a lot at stake here ... at the end of the day, we've got to be clear about what outcomes we're after and what problems we're trying to solve".

Also in today's interview: Mackle talks about how New Zealand could learn from the Irish when it comes to supporting agriculture.