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22 No dearth of animal health products Vol 20 No 40, October 17, 2022
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Govt ‘fails fairness test’ on HWEN Neal Wallace
NEWS
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He Waka Eke Noa
HE government’s response to the primary sector’s He Waka Eke Noa proposal fails to meet the partnership’s fairness test, according to the group’s programme director. Kelly Forster said of particular concern is the government’s rejection of He Waka Eke Noa’s (HWEN) proposed involvement in setting the emissions price, its priorities in how the price is set and the tightening in the classes of vegetation recognised in sequestering carbon. “We don’t think it has met the sector’s fairness test,” Forster said. “What the sector put forward we felt was a good balance. “This shifts the balance away from what the sector thinks is fair.” Forster said it was always understood that government ministers would have the final say on emissions pricing, but the sector wants to have input as part of an advisory or oversight board. The concern is that entities such as the Climate Change Commission (CCC) will take a purely economic and emissions approach to achieve their targets, a concern reinforced by a comment in the government’s response to HWEN. Forster said the government’s
list of factors to be considered in setting an emissions price prioritises meeting reduction targets ahead of any socioeconomic impact. “That is very concerning. It is not acceptable,” she said. There was also concern at the accuracy of modelling used by the government and the CCC to support claims that methane emissions can be reduced by 10% through on-farm efficiency alone.
What the sector put forward we felt was a good balance. This shifts the balance away from what the sector thinks is fair.
HWEN has farmers upset over offsets Nick France, pictured here with daughters Blaise, 14, and Violet, 10, and neighbouring farmer Harley Davies, right, says his Mid Canterbury farm has an array of plantings that under the proposed HWEN regulations is worth nothing now or for future generations farming the land. Photo: Annette Scott
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Simmentals sell well in Opawa
Kelly Forster He Waka Eke Noa “It neglects that not all farmers can dial up their farm system to reach that point.” Equally unacceptable are forecasts that sheep and beef farm revenue could fall 20% and dairy 5% as a result of the policy. While there will be a cost to reducing emissions, Forster said, there need to be checks and balances. The narrowing of what vegetation is classified as sequestering is another concern. The government said Continued page 6
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HWEN pricing structure is reasonable, fits well with the economics of environmental policy. OPINION 29