Farmers Are Not Confused About Climate Change

Farmers Are Not Confused About Climate Change Mr Sutton

The Minister is wrong in suggesting that farmers accepted that they would have to pay for doubtful research to reduce agricultural emissions, says Federated Farmers of New Zealand (Inc) President Tom Lambie.

"Farm leaders told the Minister in April that if the Government insisted on using farm income to fund this research, then the Government would have to get the money itself by imposing its own tax.

"Farm leaders also made it very clear to the Minister that farmers do not accept the Government dictating how their industry-good levy funds should be spent.

"The Federation has always opposed the imposition of a tax to fund high risk research with doubtful outcomes.

"Federated Farmers reflects the concerns of its members and the message the organisation is getting from farmers is that they have had enough of the Government's habit of deciding policy before working out what it actually means and who will pay for it.

"If the Government believes that it is so important to fund research to reduce greenhouse gas emissions then the Government should pay, concluded Mr Lambie.

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