Government backs Federated Farmers on international agricultural research

Federated Farmers is enthusiastically backing the Government’s announcement, made at the United Nations, for coordinated international research into agricultural emissions.

"I’m proud the Government has picked up on Federated Farmers call for coordinated international research into agricultural emissions," says Don Nicolson, President of Federated Farmers.

“A Global Alliance on agricultural greenhouse gas mitigation research provides one way to obtain agriculture’s holy trinity, that being increased food production with less inputs and fewer emissions.

"Between 1990 and 2007, 1.4 billion mouths entered the human race, a 27 percent increase over this 17 year period. Over the next 40 years, it is estimated the global population will expand by another 3.3 billion human beings hitting the 10 billion mark.

"Cutting food production isn’t a solution to meet the needs of billions more human beings.

“New Zealand’s contribution to the Global Alliance could be on ruminant physiology, something New Zealand knows a lot about but something we need to know a lot more about. It makes inordinate sense for such a centre to be based here in New Zealand.

“To Federated Farmers, getting scientific solutions is not just a global good, but opens the door to smart industries based here in New Zealand. Smart industries capable of delivering solutions to the world’s largest business – agriculture.

“The latest Gross Domestic Product figures show how the agricultural sector is again leading New Zealand out of recession. Leveraging off agriculture provides a means to grow the New Zealand economy.

“A recent Colmar Brunton national survey also found 42 percent of New Zealanders backed putting 0.05 percent of Gross Domestic Product into low carbon and agricultural emissions research. If that metric was applied to all developed nations, some $34 billion would be raised annually for this research.

“From an answer given in Parliament today, it seems both the United States and India have responded favourably to the Prime Minister’s call for a Global Alliance. Federated Farmers gives the Government its full backing on this positive way forward,” Mr Nicolson concluded.