Forty-eight percent of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions come from agriculture.
At the same time, almost half of New Zealand's merchandisable exports come from agriculture. New Zealand is the number one contributor to the global dairy trade and other agricultural industries such as beef, wool and sheep meat contribute substantially to their respective world trade markets.
The global community is committed to growing more food to feed its growing population. It's estimated that by 2050 the global population will be in excess of 9 billion people. To help achieve this, and its own domestic goals, New Zealand's primary industries have a goal to double export production by 2025. To meet these production output targets, emissions are expected to increase.
However New Zealand has committed to reducing its greenhouse gases. In 2015 New Zealand met a previous target under the first Kyoto Protocol commitment period of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels between 2008 and 2012 by submitting a “True-up Report” to the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC).
New Zealand now has three greenhouse gas emissions reductions targets:

An unconditional 2020 target
A 2030 target under the Paris Agreement
A 2050 long-term target

For New Zealand, getting the balance between increasing production and lowering emissions is critical.
How have emissions changed in recent years? 
New Zealand's total emissions have risen since 1990.  Without efficiency gains on farm, emissions would have risen even higher.  

How have individual sectors' emissions changed?
Changes since 1990 are characterised by increasing dairy emissions, which more than doubled during the period to 2014, falling sheep emissions and approximately constant beef emissions.
What can farmers do?
Farmers are already part of the solution. By continuing to improve farm efficiency, farmers will continue to reduce the intensity of production. Read more
Is being more efficient enough to meet our commitments?
No.  It's an excellent start, and makes a real difference. However, New Zealand needs practical, cost-effective tools to help achieve our economic growth targets, environmental, social and international aspirations and obligations. 
While the most simple solution would be to reduce agricultural production or forego growth targets, that's not in the farming sector's not the nation's best interests. The goal is to enable the sector to reduce absolute emissions without sacrificing production gains. 
What are some solutions?
There are a range of options that are currently good practice that can help reduce emissions intensity and some that reduce growth in absolute emissions.  Read more
New Zealand's research into reducing livestock greenhouse gas emissions (methane, nitrous oxide) and increasing our soil carbon sinks to absorb emissions concentrates on six solutions. Read more
Here is a summary of current options from good practice, through to discovery/proof of concept

Download our factsheet on the summary of options and emissions trends
Read our Frequently Asked Questions