Sir, – The NUI Maynooth report summarised by Frank McDonald (Home News, October 25th) on the economic impact of climate change on the agriculture sector has many flaws and ignores the significant action of farmers in addressing the climate challenge.
The reported economic losses to agriculture are unrealistic. For example, the reported economic cost to the arable sector is €530 million per year, despite the value of the output of the sector being only €264 million at the moment. How can the cost to a sector be twice the value of the sector?
There are 20 references in the report, only two of which are peer-reviewed, one of which discusses the role of genetically modified crops in addressing the economic losses associated with climate change. This adaption measure is ignored in the report.
Irish agriculture is a serious business, supporting more than 300,000 jobs in all parts of the country and contributing in excess of €9 billion in exports last year. This is being done sustainably, as will be the extra output as part of our expansion plans. Emissions per kilo of beef and milk produced are among the lowest in the world.
Farmers continue to build on this. Several thousand farmers participate each year in carbon auditing programmes to verify the low carbon count, in schemes operated by Bord Bia, Glanbia and others.
IFA will not accept pot-shots from environmental groups or NUI Maynooth which are inaccurate and potentially damaging to the sector.
The association highlighted the flaws in the report directly with the groups concerned and sought retractions. However, these have not being forthcoming. – Yours, etc,
JOHN BRYAN,
IFA President,
Irish Farm Centre,
Bluebell,
Dublin 12.