He Waka Eke Noa – Primary Sector Climate Action Partnership will support farmers and growers to protect, restore and sustain our environment and to enhance our well-being and that of future generations.
We are working together to implement a framework by 2025 to reduce agricultural greenhouse gas emissions and build the agriculture sector’s resilience to climate change.
Through this framework farmers and growers will be empowered to measure, manage and reduce on-farm emissions; recognise, maintain or increase integrated sequestration on farms; and adapt to a changing climate.
The framework will include incentivising farmers and growers to take action through an appropriate pricing mechanism by 2025, in line with legislation.
Climate Change Framework and Legislation >
We are doing this work to enable sustainable food and fibre production for future generations and competitiveness in international markets.
“By working with the government, we now have the best opportunity to develop a framework that is practical and simple for farmers, rewards positive change and supports the sector to reduce emissions and maintain or increase sequestration.”
Andrew Morrison, Chairman B+LNZ
- Guidance on how to measure, manage and reduce emissions
- Farm plans that show the steps being taken to manage emissions
- A system for measuring and reporting on emissions
- A mechanism for pricing emissions as an incentive to take action
- Guidance on maintaining or increasing sequestration, that is, long-term carbon storage (for example in trees or soil)
- Guidance on adapting to a changing climate.
He Waka Eke Noa – Primary Sector Climate Action Partnership grew out of discussions about how to achieve the best outcomes for the country and the food and fibre sector while playing our part in global efforts to tackle climate change.
A group of Aotearoa New Zealand food and fibre sector leaders, the Food and Fibre Leaders Forum, put forward a pathway to reducing emissions in He Waka Eke Noa – the Primary Sector Climate Change Commitment document.
“He Waka Eke Noa is a credible five-year work plan, developed in partnership with other sector groups, that includes clear and measurable actions, outcomes and timeframes that will facilitate and support action across a number of environmental improvements such as climate change, water quality and biodiversity.”
Tim Mackle, Chief Executive DairyNZ
In October 2019, government agreed to a proposal from the primary sector to work together and with iwi/Māori to develop a system for measuring, managing and reducing agricultural greenhouse gas emissions, rather than simply putting farm products in the ETS.
He Waka Eke Noa has been formed to equip farmers and growers with the knowledge and tools they need to reduce emissions, while continuing to sustainably produce quality food and fibre products for domestic and international markets.
This work involves designing a practical and cost-effective system for reducing emissions at the farm level by 2025. It also includes designing an appropriate farm-level pricing system building on the principles set out in He Waka Eke Noa.
The Partnership Terms of Reference were agreed in April 2020.
Together we have developed a programme of work.
He Waka Eke Noa is made up of 13 partners, led by a steering group and supported by a small programme office.
Steering group
He Waka Eke Noa partners have appointed a steering group to provide oversight and ensure delivery of the milestones and objectives of the work programme.
The members are:
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Michael Ahie - Independent Chair
Michael Ahie is Chancellor of Massey University, and Chair or a Director of several primary sector groups including Spring Sheep Milk Co, FMG and the New Zealand Plant Market Access Council. He draws on his experience growing up in a farming community in coastal South Taranaki and his previous executive roles with Toyota New Zealand Ltd, the New Zealand Dairy Board and Wrightson Ltd. Of Taranaki, Ngāruahine Rangi and Ngāti Ruanui descent, Michael lives in Wellington, New Zealand.
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Martin Workman – Ministry for the Environment | Manatū Mō Te Taiao Acting Deputy Secretary for Sustainable Land Use Delivery
Martin is responsible for leading the new Sustainable Land Use Delivery function. This will ensure delivery of policies such as the NPS Freshwater, He Waka Eke Noa and budget funding for freshwater restoration. Martin has over 20 years experience in environmental policy and delivery including time with Federated Farmers, Tasman District Council, Nelson City Council, and Ministry for Primary Industries. He had his first spell with MfE in 1997-99, and has been back with the Ministry since 2017. He led the freshwater policy reforms.
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Julie Collins - Deputy Director-General Policy and Trade at the Ministry for Primary Industries
Julie has a Bachelor of Forestry Science and more than 30 years’ experience in forestry and land use policy. Most recently she has worked on climate change, biosecurity, animal welfare and food safety policy and most recently established Te Uru Rakau/Forestry New Zealand, the new branded business unit within MPI.
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Vaughan Payne - Iwi Māori
Vaughan hails from the eastern Bay of Plenty tribes of Whakatohea (Mataatua) and Ngai Tai (Tainui), and has worked for and with tangata whenua across the motu throughout his career. Vaughan is Chief Executive Officer at Waikato Regional Council who have reduced their carbon emissions by 30% since 2017, have led the development of the Waikato Climate Action Plan, and co-manage the Waikato and Waipa rivers with Waikato River Iwi. He has helped lead the regional sector’s involvement in the government’s freshwater reforms and use of farm plans.
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Tanira Kingi - Federation of Māori Authorities
Tanira is the Research Leader in Primary Industry Systems at Scion and Science Advisor to the Federation of Māori Authorities. Tanira has a background in agricultural economics and farm systems and before joining Scion was with Massey University and AgResearch looking into land use change and freshwater and GHG mitigation modelling, more recently funded by NZAGRC. Tanira has tribal affiliations to Ngati Whakaue, Ngati Rangitihi, Te Arawa nui tonu and Ngati Awa.
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Bruce Thorrold – DairyNZ
Bruce has been a strategy and investment leader for DairyNZ since March 2001. The strategy and investment team is responsible for investing the farmer levy. Before joining Dexcel (now DairyNZ), Bruce spent 15 years with the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and AgResearch, where he worked in soil science and catchment management, including hill country and lowland studies.
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Karen Williams - Federated Farmers of New Zealand
Karen is the National Vice President and a Board Member with spokesperson responsibilities for the health and safety of farmers, the Resource Management Act, transport, and is the Chair of the People and Culture Committee at Federated Farmers. She farms a 224ha mixed cropping and beef and lamb finishing property at Gladstone in the Wairarapa with her husband Mick and three children. Karen has a background in resource management and policy development where she worked for local authorities and a planning consultancy. Karen and her husband are former winners of the Ballance Farm Environment Awards for the Wellington Region which recognises environmentally and economically sustainable farming businesses, and she is a graduate of the Agri-Women’s Development Trust ‘Escalator’ Programme.
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Charlotte Rutherford - Agrifood Processor
Charlotte is the director of On Farm Excellence at Fonterra. Charlotte has developed and led the implementation of many Fonterra programmes including the Sustainable Dairying Water Accord and Tiaki Sustainable Dairying. She has also represented Fonterra on numerous national bodies guiding the development of environmental policy in New Zealand, including the Land and Water Forum and National Board of Use of Overseer in Policy. She has also led Fonterra’s input into national and regional policy development.
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Jeremy Baker - Beef + Lamb New Zealand
Jeremy is the Chief Insights Officer for Beef + Lamb New Zealand. He is charged with analysing the risks and opportunities facing the sheep and beef sector; identifying what the sector needs to know; and helping people decide what action to take in response to those issues. Jeremy’s background is in Strategy.
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Michelle Sands - Horticulture New Zealand
Michelle leads the Natural Resources and Environment team at Horticulture New Zealand. Her focus is to draw on my technical experience to provide policy advice that is informed by science. Michelle’s background is in hydrology and water quality.