Government unveils draft emissions reduction plan for public consultation, New Zealand dairy sector unites to boost genetic gain, and Rural Women New Zealand call for safer country roads.

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Government unveils draft emissions reduction plan for public consultation

Climate Change Minister Simon Watts has announced the release of the government's draft Emissions Reduction Plan for public consultation. The plan outlines how New Zealand aims to stay within its first two emissions budgets while continuing economic growth.

Minister Watts emphasised that effective climate change policies can allow the country to meet its environmental commitments without sacrificing economic development.

The draft plan centres around five core pillars of the government's recently released climate strategy. Key policies include doubling renewable energy through reduced consenting burdens, targeting 10,000 public EV chargers by 2030, and lowering agricultural emissions by equipping farmers with emission-reducing tools.

Additional measures involve investing in resource recovery and exploring carbon capture, utilisation, and storage technologies. The consultation also covers potential changes to the NZ Emission Trading Scheme and modifications to actions from the first Emissions Reduction Plan.

Watts noted that while projections show New Zealand remains on track to meet its first Emissions Budget, the government is seeking public feedback on the impact of its new approach. 

The final Emissions Reduction Plan for 2026-2030 will be completed by year-end, following consideration of public input and advice from the Climate Change Commission. 

New Zealand dairy sector unites to boost genetic gain

New Zealand's dairy industry is rallying behind a new report aimed at accelerating genetic improvements in the national herd. The Independent Working Group's final report, endorsed by leading genetic companies, outlines recommendations to enhance the rate of genetic gain across the country's dairy cattle.

DairyNZ, LIC, and CRV have all committed to considering the report's suggestions, recognizing the critical role of genetic advancement in the industry's future. LIC chair Corrigan Sowman emphasised the importance of genetic gain for farmers' success, while CRV managing director James Smallwood welcomed the report's focus on international models for workable solutions.

The report identifies reasons why New Zealand has lagged behind international competitors in this area. It also highlights how the country can quickly catch up through key actions, promising significant benefits to dairy farmers. These include efficiency and productivity gains through more resilient, profitable, and manageable animals.

DairyNZ chair Jim van der Poel described the report as groundbreaking, noting its comprehensive approach to addressing sector challenges. He stressed that achieving world-leading genetic gain will require substantial contributions from all industry players.

Key recommendations include strengthening the National Breeding Objective to drive genetic improvement. This involves enhancing data collection from commercial dairy herds and encouraging wider use of genomic technologies aligned with national breeding goals.

As the sector moves forward with these recommendations, farmers can anticipate positive impacts on their operations, including easier management and increased profitability. 

For more check out the latest Dairy Exporter for the full special report on genetic modification as well as a special episode on this week's Dairy Exporter podcast.

Research reveals mixed future for agriculture amid protein innovations

New research funded by the Our Land and Water National Science Challenge suggests New Zealand's dairy sector may face greater challenges from emerging protein technologies than the meat industry. However, dairy companies argue the study oversimplifies their products' value and substitutability.

The Protein Future Scenarios project, a collaboration involving several universities and research groups, examined the economic and environmental implications of three alternative protein technologies through to 2050.

Jon Manhire from AgriBusiness, the research leader, identified precision fermentation as potentially the most disruptive technology. This method uses yeast in fermentation to replicate dairy proteins, creating ingredients for various dairy products.

The study also looked at plant-based meat substitutes and cellular cultivation. Manhire says that plant-based proteins may have reached a plateau, while cellular cultivation remains in early development stages.

Four scenarios were modelled, considering different rates of technology adoption and changing consumer demands. The research suggests that until about 2035, increased global protein demand might limit impacts on New Zealand's traditional protein production.

However, beyond 2035, some pastoral sectors could face significant challenges. The worst-case scenario for New Zealand's economy envisions a 9% drop in economic output and employment if precision fermentation takes off while other technologies lag.

The most optimistic scenario, where all three alternative proteins succeed, predicts a 7% increase in the economy and employment. This scenario also forecasts a shift from pastoral farming to arable and forestry, with reduced environmental impacts from farming.

Manhire believes that these represent extreme scenarios, with actual outcomes likely falling somewhere in between. The dairy industry has challenged the findings, arguing that the complexity and nutritional value of dairy products are not easily replicated.

AgResearch seeks approval for innovative Ryegrass trials

AgResearch has made a landmark application to conduct outdoor trials on gene-edited ryegrass endophytes. This research could lead to ryegrass varieties with enhanced pest resistance and reduced risk of animal health issues like ryegrass staggers.

Dr. Richard Scott, AgResearch science team leader, explains that endophytes are symbiotic fungi living within ryegrass plants. These fungi produce compounds that protect against pests. The proposed trials would move current laboratory research into an outdoor setting.

Scott says that only the endophytes are modified, not the entire ryegrass plant, and that strict containment measures will prevent any unintended spread of the modified organisms.

This application marks a significant moment in New Zealand's agricultural research. The last similar approval granted was in 2010 for genetically modified pine tree trials.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will review AgResearch's draft application, likely requesting additional information before a formal proposal is submitted for public consultation. The EPA holds the authority to approve or reject the application.

While laboratory results are promising, outdoor trials are crucial to confirm the endophytes' effectiveness in natural conditions. Dr Scott says only when tested in a normal outdoor environment will they have conclusive proof.

If approved, this research could lead to more resilient ryegrass varieties, benefiting New Zealand's agricultural sector. 

Rural Women New Zealand call for safer country roads

Rural Women New Zealand is urging the government to carefully consider the condition of country roads before making any decisions on amending speed limits. This comes as part of the organisation's submission to the Ministry of Transport's consultation on Setting of Speed Limits 2024.

The group believes that any cost-benefit analysis must determine if rural roads have been maintained to a standard that can safely accommodate changes to speed limits. They argue that road quality, gradients, widths, and curves all need consideration when setting appropriate speeds.

Rural Women New Zealand suggests that speeds should be reduced on roads in poor condition, highlighting that many rural roads lack basic infrastructure such as footpaths, lighting, or adequate signage. They also point out the irregular maintenance of these roads as a significant concern.

The organisation is calling for a public awareness campaign to ensure New Zealanders understand speed limits in rural school areas and when passing buses. They note that many people are unaware of the 20km/h limit in these situations.

Additionally, Rural Women New Zealand has advocated for mandatory flashing lights on all rural school buses, activated when the bus is stopping to pick up or drop off children. This measure has been trialled but not yet made compulsory nationwide.

Federated Farmers has also weighed in on the issue, acknowledging the need to reduce the road toll but expressing concerns about some proposed safety measures. They argue that certain interventions, such as median barriers, can significantly extend travel times and create challenges for farm vehicles.

Both organisations argue that enhancing road quality should take precedence over simply altering how road users navigate the existing network.