John Key believes there is not much opposition by farmers to the ETS. He said this on the radio news after it was reported he got a roasting at the Federated Farmers conference.
It is hard to believe he means this, and it is hard to believe any farmers support an ETS which takes punitive measures against farmers because their livestock produce methane, but does not factor in the rest of the methane cycle and does not give farmers credit for their role in that. The net effect of a livestock farm on the atmospheric concentration of methane is zero. The emissions in effect do not exist.
Why would any farmers be happy to pay for emissions that don’t exist?
The problem as I see it is that Federated Farmers only ever slam the ETS on the basis of cost. John Key thinks that the only issue he had to address is that of cost. His scheme has reduced the cost from Labour’s scheme so he thinks farmers will be as pragmatic as he is and accept that they are getting a good deal because it is cheaper and they should be happy with that.
Pragmatism is great if you don’t have principles, but most people do. John Key does not understand that it is not just about money it is about fairness. He wants to take money off farmers for emissions that don’t exist and that is unfair, it is an injustice, and John Key needs to be told that. The people of NZ don’t care how much it is going to cost farmers and nor does John Key. The people of NZ though are fair minded people and they do not like injustice. If they were told that these emissions are not calculated fairly, that they don’t actually exist, they would be more supportive. If they were told that forestry does not have to pay for their nitrous oxide emissions but farmers do they would be even more supportive because nobody likes such blatant unfairness.
If John Key was told that a sheep in a green paddock of grass has no effect on the concentration of methane in the atmosphere even he might find some principles in behind his pragmatic veneer and realise that farmers are getting a raw deal from his Government.
John Key needs to be told that NZ farmers are getting a raw deal from him and we need hundreds if not thousands of farmers to email him right now and tell him you do care and that he is wrong to think that farmers don’t.
His email is mailto:john.key@parliament.govt.nz
All you have to say is that you are opposed to the ETS. Something like this;
Dear Mr Key
I am opposed to the ETS and every farmer I know feels the same way. (say it in your own words so it is not seen as a form letter)
Regards ………….
If you want to say more you could explain that your farm is methane neutral because as much methane oxidises to CO2 and grows grass which your animals eat, as there is methane produced. So you do not want to pay for any methane emissions an dcould he explain why you should.
You could say that you have always voted National but you will never vote for them again (I here this a lot)
You could say that no other farmers in the world are paying for livestock emissions
What ever you say, say something it will make a difference. It only takes a minute to send an email, (maybe even 30 seconds) do it right now, click on the link, write a sentence and say your piece. John Key thinks you are not upset by his ETS lets show him how wrong he is.
A few thousand emails flooding in and he will take notice.