What&#39;s the situation? 




Emissions intensity in New Zealand agriculture has declined on average by about 1% per year since at least 1990.  


However reduced emissions intensity is offset by greater production meaning increased total agricultural emissions. 


What is the total emissions change since 1990? 


New Zealand&#39;s total emissions have risen since 1990 by 15%. 


But without efficiency gains on farm, emissions would have grown by more than 30%.  


Why does this matter? 


New Zealand has made a commitment to lower its greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 to 5% below 1990 levels as part of the UNFCCC. 


What do we need to do in the future? 


We need to continue to farm more efficicently and find new technologies to help New Zealand achieve economic growth targets whilst managing its environmental, social and international aspirations and obligations. That&#39;s where the NZAGRC & PGgRc come in... 


Here&#39;s a graph to explain it all... 


 Brochure-final-inside.pdf (5.33MB)  


Let&#39;s talk about current on-farm practices... 


What has changed on-farm since 1990? 




	
		
			On-Farm Practices
			Effect on farm productivity
			Net effect on emissions intensity 
		
	




	
		
			DAIRY
			 
			 
		
		
			
			
			Consistant supply of high quality feed and increased use of supplements (maize silage, PKE, brassicas) 
			
			
			Improved pasture mangement, including more targeted use of fertilisers and irrigation 
			
			
			Continued imporvement in genetic merit of animals through breeding and herd testing 
			
			
			
			
			Increased milk yield per cow *  
			
			
			Increased milk yield per hectare ** 
			
			
			Actual milk yields are closer to the genetic potential of cows 
			
			
			
			
			Greaster proportion of feed going into milk production, rather than maintenance  
			
			
		
		
			BEEF
			 
			 
		
		
			
			
			 More finishing cattle and reduction in the breeding cow herd 
			
			
			Increased use of dairy origin livestock for beef finishing 
			
			
			Better feeding and management of animals 
			
			
			
			
			 Faster growth rates 
			
			
			Increased weight of finished animals 
			
			
			Increased kg meat/ha 
			
			
			
			
			Greater proportion of feed going into meat production rather than maintenance 
			
			
		
		
			SHEEP
			 
			 
		
		
			
			
			Increased genetic merit of sheep for growth and reproduction, and increased use of pregnancy scanning 
			
			
			Increased hogget mating 
			
			
			Improved pasture production and quality, resulting in faster growth 
			
			
			Optimised stocking rate to fit pasture growth 
			
			
			
			
			Increased lamb weights at slaughter 
			
			
			Increased kg meat/ha 
			
			
			Increased lambing percentage - greater number of offspring per ewe carried 
			
			
			
			
			 Reduced ewe population needed to produce equivalnet amount of lamb meat at slaughter 
			
			
		
		
			 DEER
			 
			 
		
		
			
			
			Increased carcass weights 
			
			
			Shorter time to slaughter 
			
			
			
			
			Increased weight of finished animals and kg meat/ha 
			
			
			
			
			Greater proportion of feed going into meat production rather than maintenance  
			
			
		
		
			* kg MS/cow ** kg MS/ha  
			 
			 
		
	


Who is responsible for better efficiencies? 


New Zealand farmer businesses have become more efficient over the past twenty years. Improved animal genetics and management, combined with better grassland management and feeding practices mean that farmers are using resources more efficiently to increase their outputs. This has happened across all sectors of the pastoral industry. 


What else can farmers do now? 


As this point, the biggest impact on GHG emissions intensity comes from New Zealand farmers continuing to increase the efficiency of their operations. 


Farmers can get a farm level GHG report when they have their farm analysed using the nutrient budgeting tool Overseer. 


But aside from that there is not a lot else most famers can do to substantially reduce their GHG emissions if they want to maintain or increase overall production. 


That is why the research underway is so important.  Additional tools are needed - they are needed soon... 


How are we working towards new solutions? 


In New Zealand, Government, industry and researchers are working together to identify and develop additional interventions that will provide effective and practical results. 


See Our Research to find out exactly what we&#39;re doing... 


Internationally, New ZEaland works with other countries through the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases. 


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