North Canterbury News: September 12, 2019

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RURAL LIFE 36 The North Canterbury News, September 12, 2019 Former NZ rugby boss turns to politics, with emissions trading firmly in his sights By TIM FULTON RuralCanterburyblockholderDavid Moffett has turned from giving advice on farm succession to the future of farming itself, launching apolitical party to help New Zealand farmersstruggling with climate taxes. The country’s heavy reliance on International Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) creditsmakes New Zealand dangerously exposed to one of the world’s mostvolatile markets, Mr Moffett says. He has aglobal viewofthe world and an affinity with rural life. Mr Moffett, the son of an air traffic controller, lived in Kenyaand Tanganyika from the age of 3to16, living through the lastyears of colonial Africa. By 7, he was spending part of his holidays on large coffee and tea plantations with friends from boarding school in Nairobi. He moved to Australia with his family as ateenager and,inhis workinglife, went on to headseveral major sporting organisations, including the New Zealand Rugby Union. Todayhehas 10 hectares across properties at Ashley and Broomfield in NorthCanterbury, runningsheepand horses. As founder of the New NZ Party, he wantsNew Zealand to withdraw from the ParisAgreement,which binds the country to arange of targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. He sayshehas researched the agreementand has concluded ‘‘Paris makesitcompulsory for us to contribute tax paymentstoother economies, many Political agenda ... David Moffett launches apolitical party. of them of dubioushonesty and accountability and rife with corruption’’. The cost to Kiwis of the Emissions TradingScheme and ParisAgreement were considerable, he said. The Government’s own estimates put the cost at between$14 billion and $36b from 2021 to 2030, and that is likely to be only afraction, depending on supply and demand for carbon credits. To put that into context, ACC raised $5.9b in 201819, with operatingcosts of $726m. PHOTO: SUPPLIED ‘‘With over 2000employees ACC at leastcontributestothe New Zealand economy.’’ The agricultural sector longfavoured managingits own emissions schemebut had succumbed to governmentpressure, Mr Moffett said. The Government recently announced that the agricultural sectorwouldonly be slugged with 5percent of its actual obligations under the New Zealand ETS. Mr Moffett said the New NZ Party did not haveanissuewith the agricultural sector or other sectors paying this low rate, but believed business was being lulled into afalse sense of security. ‘‘Unfortunately, everyone in every sector will stillpay for the fullcost of the Paris Agreement. This is likelytoexceed $4b per annum over 10 years, and that’s just for starters.’’ The only way to pay for this would be throughnew taxes or areductionin services, he said. As an example, we pay 6.2 cents per litre of petrol and 7.2 centsper litre of diesel as an ETS levy. ‘‘Incredibly, we also pay GST on the total fuel excise,which means payingan 11centsperlitre tax on taxes.Together, that represents 17c and 18c per litre of hidden taxes. That is what we pay now, and every farming family is saddled with that burden, whichisoften madeworse becauseofreliance on fuel to not only run their agricultural enterprises but also to cover largedistancestoget kids to school and do important thingslike shopping and doctors’ visitsand the like.’’ The New NZ Partyfundamentally believed that declaring aclimate emergency based on our emissions was the heightofirresponsibility. New Zealand’s carbon dioxide emissions stemming from human activity stand at 0.17 percent of the total global agricultural emissions (AE). Our contribution, he says, is meagre by comparison with many of our competitors in the agricultural sector. Expressed as apercentage of the total carbon dioxide fraction,which included agricultural emissions, the resultwas 0.00006percent, Mr Moffett said. “Was really impressed with how even and accurate the spreading was using Optimise. Normally you’d get a lot of drift, but now it lands on our farm not the neighbours.” 2197116 Newseason stock available now Somediscmowersmay look like aKUHN from the outside. However, whatisonthe inside is more important. KUHN’sdesignand construction standardsensure along life and reliableoperation. Formoreinformation, or to view, contact: Ashburton 03 307 8027 Amberley 03 314 9055 Leeston 03 324 3791 Timaru 03 688 2179 www.cochranes.net.nz 18COC010a
Four options in pasture renewal There are four main waystorenew pasture: cultivation, spraydrilling, undersowing, and oversowing. Sprayand drill Adirectdrillisused to sow treatedseed into an uncultivatedpaddock after existing pasture is killed by herbicide. Advantages: Herbicide controls competition; Less expensive andless timeconsuming than cultivation; Quickertofirst grazing (sixweeks); White clover establishment is possible (see below); Longterm solution. Disadvantages: Lessopportunity to correctpH; Won’t fix soil compactionorlevel the paddock; May revert to old pasture morequickly than cultivated paddocks; Two drill passes at half the seeding rate are desirable to achievedense pasture; Lossofpastureproduction after spraying. White cloverestablishment(after spraying to kill existing pasture): Drill ryegrassusingthe mainseed box. Drop white clover seedontothe soil surfacefrom the small seeds box in front of coulters sowing the ryegrass. Cover seed with abrush or bar harrow. Sowing ryegrass and white clover seed throughthe samecoulterresults in poor white clover establishmentbecause the clover is drilled too deep (1cm2cm is suitable for ryegrass but notclover), and clover seedlings are forced to compete with more vigorous ryegrass seedlings growinginthe samedrill row. Cultivation This involves breaking up the soilprior to sowing with the likesofaplough,power harrow,discs or rotocrumbler. It is necessary where there is aneed to eliminate compactionorlevelling, or lime incorporation is required. Advantages: Mostconsistent results; Fresh start ... Spray and drill is acommon pasture renewal method for an uncultivated paddock. Eliminates compaction; Best pest and weed control; Can level apaddock; Can incorporate lime; Allowsgood soil coveragebyseed; Disadvantages: Most expensive method; Slowertofirst grazing (sixto10weeks); Softerand more prone to pugging during establishment. Undersowing Use adirectdrilltosow treatedseed into existing pasture. It works verywell in the narrow window of time when apasture has thinned out but has not yet beenovertakenbyweed ingression. Use this method after extended dry conditions wherelarge areas needtobe sown,orafter winter puggingdamage. Resultsare variablewhere it is used in pasturestoo dense for the new seedlings to establish well. Advantages: Cheap and simple; Allowslargeareastobedone; Italian or hybridcan boost winter/early spring growth. Disadvantages: Doesn’t work in densepastures; Doesn’t control problemweeds; Not suitable for whiteclover establishment; Usually only atemporary fix. Amuri Spraying Ltd Forall your Progibb, Liquid urea and General spraying requirements. Oversowing Treatedseed is broadcast on to the surfaceofthe soil. Generally usedtorepair smallerareas, for example,after pugging damage, or to establishwhite clover in springinto pastures wherethe land is too steep or stony for cultivation. Not recommended forimprovement of lowland pastures due to high seeding mortality. Sowingrates are generally higher, as establishment rates of seed placed on the groundsurface are lower. Advantages: Can introducelegumes and nitrogen fixation; Can apply with fertiliser; Disadvantages: Variable results. Hardtocontrol competition. Ph: 0800 888 308 Amuri Helicopters info@amurihelicopters.co.nz www.amurihelicopters.co.nz Proudly supporting the conservation of our local environment. WEED SPRAYING •Gorse &Broom •Industrial Yards •Lifestyle Blocks RURAL LIFE —SPRAYING North Canterbury News, September 12, 2019 —ContentsuppliedbyDairyNZ Adivision of •Horse Paddocks •Horse Arenas •Training Tracks Engineering and Hire Ltd 6O’Carrols Road Hawarden Ph 314 4157 or ah 027 414 4157 •Mowing &Topping •General Vegetation Control 1871879 •2xSelf• Propelled 24m •3xLandcruisers• 15m Locally Owned and Operated Richard Cater 0274 420 187 Aly Youngman 027 583 2007 1635135 2203815-12/9 Godfrey Pest Management Limited Registered Chemical Applicator R1550 Contact: WAYNE GODFREY P: 027 232 6791 E: wayne@godfrey.net.nz
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North Canterbury News: September 12, 2019

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