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Lamb industry study step in the right direction

Agriculture Minister David Carter is welcoming the efforts being made by the lamb industry into measuring and improving its carbon footprint.

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Agriculture Minister David Carter is welcoming the efforts being made by the lamb industry into measuring and improving its carbon footprint.

The industry released its findings into the greenhouse gas emissions involved in the production, processing, transportation and consumption of exported lamb.

"Our primary industries can't manage their emissions if they don't first measure them. The value of this and other carbon footprinting studies is that they identify where emissions occur and where they can be reduced," says Mr Carter.

"This makes great business sense. It is a significant contribution to New Zealand's leading reputation in agricultural emissions research.

"New Zealand operates some of the most efficient on-farm production systems in the world, but we are facing the growing challenge of producing more food with fewer emissions. This is why the Government is committing serious money to tackling the issue."

Mr Carter says the New Zealand-led Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases, which is holding its inaugural meeting in Wellington this week, is a significant part of the Government's plan.

"The Alliance will be a credible force in ensuring that international goodwill, collaboration and investment are developed to help us reduce agricultural greenhouse gas emissions while increasing productivity.

"It is one of a suite of measures we are working on, including the establishment of the domestic Centre for Agriculture Greenhouse Gas Research in Palmerston North and studies into carbon footprinting, such as the one released today," Mr Carter says.