The Government is doing everything that it can to stem the flow of productive Southland land into pine forestry, Invercargill MP Penny Simmonds has said, however admits farmland conversions started before 4 December 2024 may be allowed to continue.

Wyndham farmer Dean Rabbidge. Photo: Supplied

Simmonds comments follow an emotional warning last week (27 Aug) from Wyndham farmer Dean Rabbidge who said watching prime sheep and beef country disappear under pine trees for carbon forestry was heartbreaking and putting both rural communities and New Zealand's food production at risk.

Simmonds said the Government had introduced policy changes intended to limit how much farmland is converted to exotic forest and registered in the Emissions Trading Scheme.

These changes are to preserve productive land for agricultural use, she said.

“I agree that for too long, productive sheep and beef farms have been replaced by pine trees in the race for carbon credits."

“The Climate Change Response (Emissions Trading Scheme - Forestry Conversions) Amendment Bill will restrict wholesale conversions of farmland to exotic forestry, by stopping LUC 1-5 land from entering the ETS, and capping new ETS registrations on LUC 6 land."

“It will also protect farmers’ ability to diversify – allowing up to 25 per cent of a farm to go into trees, while stopping the kind of blanket ETS planting that’s been gutting rural communities in places like Southland."

“This Government is backing farmers, restoring balance, and making sure the ETS doesn’t come at the cost of the rural economy."

“The proposed bill does include temporary “transitional exemptions” for people who began the investment process of converting farmland to exotic forestry BEFORE the changes were announced on 4 December 2024."

“This will account for some of the latest farm sales into forestry that have continued to occur in the South in recent months, and which have caused concern."

“But let’s be clear, we are moving to stem the flow of productive Southland land into pine forestry because this is in everyone’s best interests - both economically and socially for rural communities."

“The legislation is now before Parliament and will come into force October 2025.”