Pine plantations earn subsidies to soak up carbon emissions, but concern over the farm-to-forest project led to a moratorium on any new conversions
New Zealand sheep farmers are fighting to stop the loss of pasture to fast-spreading pine plantations, which earn government subsidies to soak up carbon emissions.
Concern over the scale of the farm-to-forest switch led the government to impose a moratorium in December on any new conversions not already in the pipeline.
But farmers say forestry companies are flouting the clampdown.
Last month, farmers launched a ‘Save our Sheep’ campaign to reverse the loss of productive farmland.
