Stuff Digital Edition

Connection misplaced

I write in response to your editorial, Fonterra milk price — measuring the hugely valuable against the simply invaluable, Oct 27. As National’s agriculture spokesperson, I find tying Fonterra’s milk price announcement to the UN COP26 conference in Glasgow, ‘‘where we’ll hang our heads in shame rather than smile’’, misplaced.

Added to this: ‘‘Fonterra’s announcement of a record forecast milk payment for the season will be emphatically welcome throughout so much of the heartland, where it’s desperately needed’’ … tenuous.

If anything, the $8.40 mid-range payout point and subsequent $13 billion boost to our economy might give New Zealanders some hope we can afford some of the current Government’s spending.

The dairy sector is a convenient target when climate change is editorialised. Writers rarely include that the sector has been working hard on climate and environmental challenges for decades and they continue to do so.

I encourage you to read the new Net Zero Readiness Index 2021 report containing the progress of 32 countries in reducing emissions, assessing their preparedness, and ability to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. Overall, New Zealand sits in ninth place, while our agriculture sector is ranked No 1. Barbara Kuriger, National Party spokesperson on agriculture

Opinion | Letters

en-nz

2021-10-28T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-10-28T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://fairfaxmedia.pressreader.com/article/281827171977519

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