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RNZ News
16-07-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Emissions Trading Scheme incentivising whole farm conversions into forestry, farmers say
Pine forestry harvesting in Waimata Valley near Gisborne. Photo: RNZ / Alexa Cook Federated Farmers is urging the government to listen to its submission on legislation that looks to prevent whole-farm conversions into forestry. The Climate Change Response (Emissions Trading Scheme-Forestry Conversion) Amendment Bill had its first reading in June and a number of submissions were heard in a parliamentary select committee on Tuesday. Federated Farmers Forestry spokesperson Richard Dawkins told RNZ the future of rural communities was at stake if the government did not take this opportunity to make serious changes to the ETS. "The logic is clear. We just can't continue to undermine our productive sector or we're never gonna get ahead as a country," he said. Dawkins said Federated Farmers had no issue with forestry, but with the current ETS settings. "There's no problem with the right tree in the right place. "We encourage that, but with the way the ETS settings are at the moment, you're just incentivising whole farm conversions into permanent exotics and that, it's just no good, no good for anyone," he said. Gisborne farmer and former Federated Farmers forestry spokesperson Toby Williams told RNZ the campaign was launched out of widespread concern for the increase in productive farm land being planted in pine trees. "We're really concerned that the continuing government policy looks to drive down the available land for sheep production. "We already know that our meat processors are struggling and we want to ensure that we actually have an industry still that can play its part in thriving rural communities, but also a thriving New Zealand and driving our export returns," he said. Federated Farmers have put up a billboard in Wellington claiming "sheep are not the problem". Photo: Supplied The Ministry for Primary Industries had a goal of doubling primary sector exports by 2035, but Williams said the sheep flock was declining. "Shrinking the sheep flock and shrinking the area that we farm sheep on isn't a great way to drive that forward," he said. Federated Farmers wants the government's review of the ETS to make two key changes - reducing the amount of emissions that large polluters can offset with trees, and capping the number of pine tree credits entered into the ETS. "We'd like to see a sinking lid on how many offsets a polluter could do every year. For example, we'd say in 2025 this year you could do 100 percent, but next year it drops to 95 into 9085 and so on," he said. The farming group was also keen to cap how many pine tree credits a polluter could enter into the ETS. "That will also have the same effect of slowing conversions of sheep and beef land into pine trees just for carbon offsets, and it will bring some actual balance," he said. Williams said if nothing changed with the ETS, then in 25 years time about 750,000 hectares of sheep producing land would be turned into pine trees. Gisborne farmer and former Federated Farmers forestry spokesperson Toby Williams. Photo: RNZ / Jimmy Ellingham Forestry Owners Association chief executive Elizabeth Heeg told RNZ it was not impressed with the Federated Farmers campaign targeting forestry. "We are disappointed that trees, and particularly pine trees, are being singled out as being the primary cause of some kind of a decline in the sheep numbers where actually we are not the correlation or the cause of the decline in sheep numbers. "Sheep numbers have been declining over the past 20 years and the forestry area has just started to come back in the last few years. So we are actually at a position at the national level of the same amount of forestry land area that we had 20 years ago," she said. While Heeg agrees that land use had changed over the past 20 years, she said it was more complicated than blaming it on forestry. "We're not seeing some kind of exponential growth in forestry planting. Actually, we did have an increase in forestry planting in the last couple of years, but we're seeing that largely kind of plateau at this stage," said Heeg. The group was alarmed by Federated Farmers idea of a 'sinking lid' policy on how many trees a polluter could plant to offset its emissions. "We would be deeply concerned if the government looked to take forestry out of the emissions trading scheme, because trees are still the only proven mitigation technology that we have. "I find it interesting that farmers would be asking for that when it's one of the chief ways that they could mitigate their climate emissions. So the inclusion or not of trees in the Emissions Trading Scheme, I feel like that horse has already bolted," said Heeg. The Forestry Owners Association says forestry is not the problem. Photo: RNZ / Alexa Cook The association was strongly against phasing forestry out of the ETS, instead urging more action from polluters . "I think it's nuts that we would get rid of our only proven mitigation tool rather than look at achieving gross emissions reductions. "It's a little bananas that when the rural sector needs as much support as possible, that we've got people pitting elements of the sector against itself when actually a lot of farmers are foresters as well and they're happily doing both in the landscape," she said. However, Federated Farmers said its members were definitely not happy - and wanted to see more action from the government. "We want to see an urgent review of the ETS as the government has held off doing it. There have been tweaks over the years, but that's it. "We're not the only organisation calling for changes to how we're doing this because of the threat to our economy," said Toby Williams. Minister for Forestry Todd McClay said the Federated Farmers' Save Our Sheep campaign highlighted exactly why his government was taking action to stop the wholesale loss of productive farmland to pine trees. "Under the last government, sheep and beef farms across regions like Hawke's Bay were bought out by carbon speculators, driven by careless and unbalanced ETS settings. Labour made it more profitable to plant pine trees than to farm sheep - and rural communities paid the price," said McClay. Minister for Forestry Todd McClay. Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver However, Labour Party forestry spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel said this was not a matter of sheep and beef farming versus forestry. "It's a matter of striking the right balance between industry growth and environmental protection. Labour has always believed the right tree should be planted in the right place - anything to the contrary is scaremongering. "This government has taken nearly two years to do anything about this. Labour were the ones with policy that put decision-making back into local hands on farm to forestry conversions and we are committed to finding long-term, locally-led, sustainable solutions," she said. Todd McClay said his government was moving forward on the issue. "On 4 December last year, we announced a ban on full farm-to-forest conversions, and legislation will be passed by October this year and backdated to that announcement - stopping blanket ETS planting on productive farmland and giving sheep and beef farmers a fair go," he said. However, McClay said the ETS was not the only challenge the sheep sector faced, as the wool industry had struggled - which is why he was supporting the sector by using wool in government buildings and housing, and investing in new uses through public-private partnerships. "We're not anti-forestry, but it can't come at the expense of highly-quality, safe and sustainable food production. We're levelling the playing field and backing farmers to grow the best lamb and mutton in the world - and sell it to the world," said McClay. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Scoop
12-06-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Wool Carpet Decision A ‘Parachute' For Farmers
Press Release – Federated Farmers 'Our wool industry is in major freefall, and this move from Kinga Ora is the parachute we desperately need,' Federated Farmers meat and wool chair Toby Williams says. Kāinga Ora's decision to use wool carpet in its social housing is a massive win for wool growers but won't be enough to save the industry on its own, Federated Farmers says. 'Our wool industry is in major freefall, and this move from Kāinga Ora is the parachute we desperately need,' Federated Farmers meat and wool chair Toby Williams says. 'This will slow our drop a bit but, in reality, what we really need now is an updraft to lift wool back up into being the number-one fibre globally. 'It's certainly a massive step in the right direction, though, and we're very pleased with the announcement yesterday.' Williams says Kāinga Ora is New Zealand's largest landlord, so its contract has the capability to soak up large volumes of wool, which in turn will help drive up prices. As well as transitioning to using wool carpet in its new social housing, Kāinga Ora will also use wool carpet in existing homes if the whole house needs recarpeting, such as when renovating older properties. The decision comes after a recent Request for Proposal (RFP) inviting both wool and nylon carpet providers to tender for the supply of carpet and underlay in its properties. 'Last year Federated Farmers slammed Kāinga Ora for initially deciding to categorically rule out using woollen carpets in its social housing,' Williams says. 'Our homegrown wool is an incredible product and it beggared belief that Kāinga Ora weren't even giving wool the chance to compete against nylon products. 'That was a total slap in the face for struggling Kiwi sheep farmers and rural communities, and we made it very clear it was a ridiculous, short-sighted decision. 'It's great they saw sense and allowed wool to have a crack – and even better that a wool provider has won the contract. 'It just goes to show that when wool is given a fair chance, it comes out on top as a natural, sustainable and renewable alternative to cheap and nasty plastic alternatives.' Williams says the decision is the result of a massive collaborative effort across the entire wool industry. 'Federated Farmers and other groups have been working really hard for years to get the Government engaged with, and listening to, wool growers. 'We recently launched our SOS: Save Our Sheep campaign to hammer home the message that we need urgent action if we're to keep our sheep and wool industry from collapsing entirely. 'Farmers are sick of woolly ideas – they want solid actions like this. 'It just shows that strong leadership from the Government can be a factor in restoring confidence to our embattled wool industry.' Williams says the housing agency's decision is also a big step forward for environmental sustainability. 'Using cheap, nasty plastic carpets might save a few bucks, but at what cost to the environment? 'If Kāinga Ora had picked a fossil fuel-derived synthetic carpet over a sustainable New Zealand-grown woollen product, just because it's cheaper, it would have been a disaster.' Williams says he's also really pleased that high-quality, sustainable Kiwi wool will be in the homes of some of New Zealand's most vulnerable tenants. Kāinga Ora will transition to using wool carpet in its new homes from 1 July 2025, when the supply arrangements come into effect.
Scoop
11-06-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Wool Carpet Decision A ‘Parachute' For Farmers
Kāinga Ora's decision to use wool carpet in its social housing is a massive win for wool growers but won't be enough to save the industry on its own, Federated Farmers says. "Our wool industry is in major freefall, and this move from Kāinga Ora is the parachute we desperately need," Federated Farmers meat and wool chair Toby Williams says. "This will slow our drop a bit but, in reality, what we really need now is an updraft to lift wool back up into being the number-one fibre globally. "It's certainly a massive step in the right direction, though, and we're very pleased with the announcement yesterday." Williams says Kāinga Ora is New Zealand's largest landlord, so its contract has the capability to soak up large volumes of wool, which in turn will help drive up prices. As well as transitioning to using wool carpet in its new social housing, Kāinga Ora will also use wool carpet in existing homes if the whole house needs recarpeting, such as when renovating older properties. The decision comes after a recent Request for Proposal (RFP) inviting both wool and nylon carpet providers to tender for the supply of carpet and underlay in its properties. "Last year Federated Farmers slammed Kāinga Ora for initially deciding to categorically rule out using woollen carpets in its social housing," Williams says. "Our homegrown wool is an incredible product and it beggared belief that Kāinga Ora weren't even giving wool the chance to compete against nylon products. "That was a total slap in the face for struggling Kiwi sheep farmers and rural communities, and we made it very clear it was a ridiculous, short-sighted decision. "It's great they saw sense and allowed wool to have a crack - and even better that a wool provider has won the contract. "It just goes to show that when wool is given a fair chance, it comes out on top as a natural, sustainable and renewable alternative to cheap and nasty plastic alternatives." Williams says the decision is the result of a massive collaborative effort across the entire wool industry. "Federated Farmers and other groups have been working really hard for years to get the Government engaged with, and listening to, wool growers. "We recently launched our SOS: Save Our Sheep campaign to hammer home the message that we need urgent action if we're to keep our sheep and wool industry from collapsing entirely. "Farmers are sick of woolly ideas - they want solid actions like this. "It just shows that strong leadership from the Government can be a factor in restoring confidence to our embattled wool industry." Williams says the housing agency's decision is also a big step forward for environmental sustainability. "Using cheap, nasty plastic carpets might save a few bucks, but at what cost to the environment? "If Kāinga Ora had picked a fossil fuel-derived synthetic carpet over a sustainable New Zealand-grown woollen product, just because it's cheaper, it would have been a disaster." Williams says he's also really pleased that high-quality, sustainable Kiwi wool will be in the homes of some of New Zealand's most vulnerable tenants. Kāinga Ora will transition to using wool carpet in its new homes from 1 July 2025, when the supply arrangements come into effect.
NZ Herald
10-06-2025
- Politics
- NZ Herald
New laws to stop carbon forest on productive farms ‘long overdue': Fed Farmers
Federated Farmers' 'Save our Sheep' campaign has taken a major step forward this week with the Government introducing legislation to stop carbon forestry on productive farmland. 'This legislation is a really positive step forward, but from a farmer's perspective, it's long overdue,' Federated Farmers meat and wool chair Toby Williams
RNZ News
09-06-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Federated Farmers campaign against pine tree planting initiative
Federated Farmers have put up a billboard in Wellington claiming "sheep are not the problem". Photo: Supplied Sheep farmers have stepped up their campaign against the government's reliance on planting pine trees to offset emissions. Under the existing Emissions Trading Scheme, planting pine trees for carbon credits is causing land to be repurposed, as it is generally more profitable to plant pine trees than to farm sheep. Parliament's own environment watchdog has questioned successive governments' reliance on planting trees to meet climate targets. Now, Federated Farmers have put up a billboard in Wellington, claiming "sheep are not the problem". Meat and Wool chair Toby Williams said farming families were being pushed off the land and it was destroying rural communities. He said between 2017 and 2024, more than 260,000 hectares of productive sheep farming land were lost to pine trees. The national sheep flock had reduced from more than 70 million sheep in 1982, to fewer than 25 million sheep today. Federated Farmers wants the government to review the ETS. The government made a series of changes to the legislation in December last year, with the goal of limiting the amount of full farm to forestry conversions. Williams told Midday Report farmers were "really grateful" for those changes, but class 7 land - considered "non-arable" - still had no limit on how much of it could be registered within the ETS. "Quite often what we find is people don't regard that land to be very profitable, or driving a good return, but it's where our ewes live, and our cows live. It's producing the lambs and the calves that we then process into meat," Williams said. New Zealand is the only country in the world that allows 100 percent carbon offsetting through forestry, with other countries putting restrictions in place. Climate change minister Simon Watts has been approached for comment. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
