Clive Bibby: "Father forgive them - for they know not what they do!"

I am probably the last person on this earth who should be using scripture as a back up when trying to make a political point but hopefully most readers will agree that, in this case, it might be justified and after all - in this context, it is meant as a humane gesture. 

The Editor of our newspaper has chosen to throw petrol on the smouldering embers of the climate change debate by publishing opinions of an investment consultant, Dr Paul Winton who has been brought to this region at the invitation of Trust Tairawhiti in a supposed attempt to help justify both the Trust's and the Government's position on our greenhouse gas emissions targets. Dr Winton is quoted as saying that we would be better off without any dairy cows. We should let them all die! Go figure!

It is a sad commentary on the current state of the world discussion on climate change that the calls for action are being led by people whose best guess is no more likely to be right than the one promoted by the village idiot - yeah! yeah! I know what you're thinking. 

But really- how many more times are we supposed to accept the opinions of individuals who are presented as experts in a field that is about as remote from the real discussion as it is possible to be. 

It is difficult enough trying to make sense of all the pontifications that are foist upon us by those who claim to be a leading authority in their particular subject but when their debatable conclusions are supported by those who are more suited to selecting the "looney tunes" for the Saturday matinee, l say "Enough".

I have just returned from a week in the "Naki" visiting family and friends. It was great to leave the region after the lockdown and enjoy the opportunity to refresh my memories of other parts of this beautiful country that we are privileged to call "home". 

It Is a bloody long way from Uawa/ Tolaga Bay to Oakura, south of New Plymouth where our daughter and her family live but if you have the time and are able to organise the journey to include traveling there and back over alternative routes, you can benefit from a confirmation of just how important the agriculture industry (especially the dairy sector) is to not only the country's immediate future but more importantly, to our very survival as a sovereign state. 

Travelling across the volcanic plateau in any direction - Rotorua to Taupo, Taupo to Napier or from Taupo to Te Kuiti will be enough to convince any impartial observer just how vital this part of our economy is to the whole machine. None of the Government's recently adopted licence to spend like there is no tomorrow would be possible if this region still looked like it was when l was a boy. Not long ago really! 

And the really impressive part of this revelation is the history of how it was turned from a virtual wasteland into some of the most productive farmland in the country - much of it now under expert Maori ownership and management. 

It wouldn't be so bad If those who have chosen to promote Dr Winton as the authority of choice with guidelines to follow would be equally enthusiastic about encouraging Government to itself follow the science of its own advisors. 

We have in this country some of the world's leading pastoral scientists and agronomists whose research tells us that it is perfectly possible to significantly reduce livestock greenhouse gas emissions simply by the introduction of genetically modified grasses to the animal's diet. Better still, if you're interested in the "Full Monty", they reckon our cows would stop burping completely (ceasing to emit the greenhouse version) if we fed them sea kelp which just happens to be the fastest growing vegetation on the planet of which we have millions of tonnes of unused supply. 

So, may l humbly suggest that the next time Trust Tairawhiti and the Editor think that the serfs are in need for some intellectual stimulus, would they please invite somebody who knows what they are talking about. 

We have enough maniacs daily walking our streets capable of scaring the horses without you guys making things worse. 

Clive Bibby is a commentator, consultant, farmer and community leader, who lives in Tolaga Bay.