New Research Gives Hope To Farmers

ACT New Zealand Rural Affairs Spokesman Gerry Eckhoff today welcomed recent research into reducing nitrous oxide emissions, and nitrate leaching in waterways - describing it as a breakthrough in New Zealand's efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

"Research by Lincoln University's Professor KC Cameron and Associate Professor HJ Di, in partnership with farmer-owned Ravensdown Fertiliser, shows that, by treating grazed pasture soil - including animal urine patches - with a nitrification inhibitor, nitrous oxide emissions from animal urine patches can be dramatically reduced," Mr Eckhoff said.

"Twenty percent of New Zealand's total greenhouse gas emissions are made up of nitrous oxide emissions.

"The good news for farmers' is that preliminary calculations show New Zealand could achieve its target - under the Kyoto Protocol - of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by adopting this technology alone.

"Ministers' Pete Hodgson and Jim Sutton will be sweating on the results of further tests, hoping it will get them - and the Labour Government - out of a tight spot with farmers.

"This research, if successful, must finally put Labour's ridiculous flatulence tax proposal to bed, once and for all," Mr Eckhoff said.

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