With Ardern going, here's what Kiwi livestock producers want to see

In the wake of NZ prime minister Jacinda Ardern's announcement she will resign, and with an October 14 election now called, the livestock industry's distaste for her Labor Government's methane tax announcement late last year is palpable.

So too the frustration over the afforestation of pastoral land as a result of the NZ emissions trading scheme.

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The call from producers is for a workable and equitable agricultural emissions pricing framework, which incorporates a cautious approach to pricing and ensures all genuine sequestration is recognised.

Put simply, the country's leading livestock advocacy groups say they will not accept a system which disproportionately affects sheep and beef farmers.

New Zealand's red meat sector has launched a list of policy demands for political parties to act on.

The manifesto from Beef + Lamb New Zealand and the Meat Industry Association spans five key areas: climate and environment policy, workforce and industrial relations, trade, biosecurity and innovation, research and development.

It includes the above demands as the big-ticket items.

The two organisations say Kiwi farmers are feeling overwhelmed by the wave of regulatory reform over the past 12 months.

The controversial methane tax, which Ms Ardern boasted would be a world-first, would force farmers to pay a penalty for the gases naturally emitted by their livestock. Industry estimates were that it would force at least 20 per cent of beef and sheep farmers out of the business by 2030.

Speaking to Farmonline at a global beef event late last year, Beef + Lamb NZ director George Tatham said the tax, on top of the extensive planting of pastoral land to pine trees to be used as carbon sink under Ardern's policy, was highly frustrating for the industry.

In the past 12 months, more than 50,000 hectares of pastoral sheep and beef country had been turned over to carbon forestry, he said.

"Current economics around carbon versus livestock mean it is three to four times more profitable but the income derived from these carbon forests is heading offshore because it's overseas investment coming in to buy up the land," he said.

"One of the things that makes our farmers the angriest is if we stop producing lamb and beef others around the world will have to, and they are almost certain to produce it with a higher carbon footprint than we do.

"Lifecycle analysis shows NZ sheep meat is likely the most efficient in the world and for beef we are among those with the lowest carbon footprint.

"Our farmers just can't understand why the Ardern Government doesn't see that."

Mr Tatham said given the strength of the global sheep meat market at the moment, driven by big demand out of China and the United States, all signs are that NZ should be increasing its production.

Instead, B+LNZ's economic service estimates the number of lambs tailed in spring 2022 decreased by 2.6pc, or 588,000 head, on the previous spring to 22 million head.

Mr Tatham said other regulations around biodiversity and water were also frustrating producers.

"On the one hand, our government is saying they want to improve environmental outcomes but on the other they are incentivising the planting of pine trees which we know is not a good outcome for biodiversity or water quality," he said.