Jul 18, 2025
Update from Luka Jansen (Deer Industry New Zealand Environmental Stewardship Manager)
DINZ Leading the ETS Forestry Conversion Bill debate
Deer Industry New Zealand (DINZ) has recently lodged a submission on the Climate Change Response (ETS – Forestry Conversion) Amendment Bill, a new piece of legislation before Parliament aimed at addressing the rapid conversion of farmland into permanent pine forests for carbon credits.
DINZ has warned that while the Bill attempts to limit whole-farm conversions, it fails to address the root causes of land-use change and could leave New Zealand with long-term, irreversible consequences.
At its core, the Bill does not prevent entire farms from being converted into permanent exotic forests purely for carbon offsetting. It relies on the Land Use Capability (LUC) system (a tool used in New Zealand since the 1950s), to determine where forestry eligible for ETS registration can occur. DINZ, the Forest Owners Association, and the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment have all highlighted to the government the flaws in using the Land Use Capability (LUC) system as a regulatory tool at the farm level.
Another concern raised was that the current settings of the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) allows fossil fuel emitters to offset their emissions without reducing them—while biological emissions from livestock farming, such as deer farming, cannot be offset, even when there are no other mitigation options available. I believe this imbalance is putting deer farmers on the back foot. It’s particularly concerning that the government still intends to price agricultural emissions by 2030.
Kim Rowe shows the Environment judges his tree protection designs that are low cost and provide effective erosion control
DINZ highlighted in the submission that the ETS is distorting land markets, encouraging the spread of permanent pine forests across New Zealand in pursuit of carbon targets under the Paris Agreement. In the process, it is disproportionately impacting sheep, beef, and deer farmers - those who actively manage and protect landscapes, including the hill and high country.
DINZ’s submission also highlights the volatility of the carbon market. Once carbon revenues dry up, these permanent (carbon) pine forests could become liabilities—leaving landowners and local councils without the resources to manage them responsibly for fire risk, pests and other risks. Since 2017, over 350,000 hectares of drystock land have been converted into forestry. If this trend continues, up to 1 million hectares could be lost by 2050. DINZ told members of parliament on Monday at the Environment Select LUC Class 7, soils that the proposed Bill encourages to be planted for carbon farming. Kim and Judith Rowe in the Tasman region, who farm LUC Class 7, recently were awarded the NZ Landcare Trust Award for environmental actions on the ground.
The Rowes shared their experience during the recent severe weather events, witnessing pine plantations topple like matchsticks, taking the soil with them.
Judith's natives as shown in this photo stayed in the ground during recent severe wind and rain events in the Tasman region.
In contrast, their own farm — where they’ve planted thousands of native trees and actively protect a 23-hectare QEII covenant forest — remained intact. Notably, they received no incentives for these efforts.
Judith told me that they will be able to continue farming this week, although they face a significant cleanup that will take time to recover from. Their story is a powerful testament to the resilience of integrated, sustainable land management practiced by deer farmers.
Drystock farmers are not receiving the recognition they deserve for their role in protecting New Zealand’s landscapes. I urge the government to adopt a more integrated approach to land management—one that ensures climate action supports, rather than undermines, farming communities and the many benefits they provide to the country.
Our best wishes to Kim and Judith who suffered significant damage from the recent storms
Judith and Kim’s son flying over their catchment to see the damage caused by severe weather this month
