A separate plan for methane in New Zealand’s historic zero-carbon legislation, is seen as an unprecedented step forward, by experts worldwide seeking fair treatment for agriculture in the climate mitigation debate.

New Zealand’s decision to give its farm and food industry five years to to measure and price its greenhouse gas emissions at the farm level puts it up to competing national agricultural industries, including Ireland’s.

Finding workers for dairy farms has emerged as a global problem, with New Zealand farmers now hit by the state’s new visa conditions which will result in them not being able to retain their best migrant staff.