New Zealand may have to reduce the number of dairy cattle by 13% by 2030, off 2019 numbers, as part of the country’s efforts to hit its targets to reduce carbon and biogenic methane emissions by 2050, according to recommendations made in the Climate Commission report released on June 9.
Other measures include: ensuring 50% of all car imports by 2030 are electric vehicles while encouraging more walking, cycling and use of public transport; phase out fossil fuels in electricity generation, domestic heating systems and industrial heating; and plant more forests. The authors also recommend a 13% reduction in dairy cattle between 2019 and 2030.
New Zealand dairy cooperative Fonterra on May 6 laid out a range of options to overhaul its capital structure. The Fonterra board said its preferred option was to reduce the number of shares a farmer must hold and either remove or cap the growth of the listed Fonterra Shareholders Fund, which is open to non-farmer investors. The minimum requirement for farmer-owners would drop to one share for every four kilograms of milk solids they supply, from the current one share to one kilogram ratio.
Among the other options for the world’s top dairy exporter were dual-share structures to allow outside involvement, splitting the co-op between its core milk-processing operations and other businesses, and different classes of shares.A cow is seen near the fence of a pastoral farm near Auckland August 6, 2013.