Sir, – It’s taken as given that there has been exponential growth in the Irish dairy herd in recent years and reducing it is central to reducing Ireland’s emissions to meet 2030 targets. However, in “The biggest challenge facing Irish agriculture” (Business, July 17th), economic consultant Brendan Kearney states that “In the early 1970s ... the number of dairy herds declined sharply from about 100,000 to 17,000 at the present time, but the number of dairy cows is the same as about 50 years ago ... we have the same number of cows producing more than three times as much milk from 80 per cent fewer herds than 50 years ago”.
This in itself is a remarkable testament to the management practices and innovation of Irish farmers. In the 1960s and 1970s, the average-sized dairy farmer had a handful of cows and farmers pooled their resources to set up local creameries and dairy co-ops. This initiative was immediately rewarded and guaranteed a regular income that was vital to the sustainability of and survival of many farm families. So in essence in the years since, Irish dairy farming hasn’t expanded but consolidated with fewer farmers farming more cows on less land. This trend towards larger dairy herds with more intensive farming methods has in recent years been facilitated by the nitrates “derogation” where intensive farmers are allowed to spread more nitrogen per hectare to increase grass output so they can carry more cows. It is no coincidence that soil-health and water systems most impacted by nutrients run-off are in the most intensive dairying areas. This is a problem specific to some dairy farmers, large beef fattening units and some pig producers. For instance a quarter of the dairy cows in Ireland are located in Co Cork which has a significant and ongoing problem with water quality, and in fairness this is being addressed by them to some degree. However, it’s past time that the main representative farm organisations accepted this reality and pro-actively pushed for the phased abolition of the derogation option for the long-term betterment of the farming industry as a whole, rather than agitating for its retention and protecting the interests of larger dairy farmers. Unfortunately the dairy-dominated leadership is utterly out of touch with ordinary farmers who are light years ahead of them in adopting new technologies and environmentally friendly practices.
The European Commission will this year undertaken a review of the nitrates derogation which could see a forced reduction from the current allowable maximum organic nitrogen per hectare of 250kg down to 220kg by 2024. This will have minimal impact on the majority of Irish farmers who are already adopting more environmentally reactive management practices and using less inputs, but it will require a reduction of approximately 10 per cent in cow numbers on the most intensive dairy farms. It is a small price to pay by those in the most profitable sector of farming who are most able to carry the cost and will lead to an almost immediate improvement in water quality and reduction in agricultural emissions to meet 2030 targets. This and the just announced €50 million Government support funding for farmers to help them address local challenges to water quality can only have positive outcomes.
It is also incumbent on our banks to adopt a lending policy to farmers that is cognisant of the mitigations that are currently in the legislative pipeline and which may impact the future viability on farming plans that are maxed out and too production driven.
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As the impact of global warming becomes more visible and stark it is incumbent on industry leaders to move from the position of “whataboutery” to taking immediate individual responsibility, if the world is to be saved. – Yours, etc,
TOMÁS FINN,
Cappataggle,
Ballinasloe,
Co Galway.
Sir, – As extreme heat and wildfires rage across the globe, the Irish agriculture industry fights tooth and nail to maintain the status quo and maximise its position in the global market.
Farmers protest that changes proposed under the nitrate regulations will have “far-reaching implications” for economic activity, despite evidence from the Environmental Protection Agency of ongoing high levels of nitrates in rivers across the country.
Efforts to expand market share in Africa have led to robust criticism from a geography academic, Dr Patrick Bresnihan in Maynooth University, who suggests that that European subsidies paid to Irish dairy farmers have given them an unfair advantage, undercutting small farmers in African nations.
Abolition of milk quotas in recent years have enhanced opportunity to grow business further afield, with Bord Bia reporting that 15 per cent of Irish dairy exports are to Africa.
The Department of Agriculture continue to state that “Ireland’s carbon footprint per unit of milk produced is one of the lowest among milk-producing countries because of our grass-based system”. This statement is based on research conducted in 2010 based on data from 2004.
Data from 2020 shows that Irish beef emits over 40kg of carbon per kilo of meat, fractionally ahead of Argentina and higher than the UK, the US, Iran and Russia.
Grass-fed beef may be healthier and tastier, but it is not more sustainable.
Methane has a life cycle in the atmosphere (12 years) compared to carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide which linger for centuries. The heat trapping ability of methane is 100 times more than carbon dioxide.
Cutting back on meat is one of the very few methods that could put a rapid brake on climate change before it is too late.
As Europe continues to broil under an apocalyptic heatwave, Irish Government policy must listen to the science over the lobbyists and commercial interests at a time of climate crisis.
Profit, market share and growth must be considered within the context of climate targets, nature restoration and global equity.
Policy should be based on the most recent evidence of sustainable agricultural policy, and narratives based on outdated data should be discounted. – Yours, etc,
CATHERINE CONLON,
Ballintemple,
Cork.