Young farmers “must be put at the front of any action on climate change”, with clear supports, Macra na Feirme has said.

The young farmer organisation was responding to yesterday’s publication of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021.

Commenting on the matter last night (Tuesday, March 23), Macra president Thomas Duffy said that the challenges facing agriculture can “only be overcome by supporting young farmers” to adopt new practices.

“The comments by Minister [for Environment, Climate Action and Communications Eamon] Ryan that farming cannot reduce in the same way as energy or transport is welcome – the complexities of our food system are far greater than any other sector,” Duffy said.

Criticising “divisive rhetoric” around talk of mandatory herd culls or a return to herd limits as “entirely unproductive”, the organisation highlighted that the focus must be on reducing methane – not herd numbers.

It was stressed that better herd management, livestock genetics and reducing breeding and slaughter ages can achieve “significant reductions” in national methane emissions, while protecting farm incomes.

Further measures such as changing to protected urea, reductions in feed protein and better incorporation of clover have all been shown to reduce nitrous oxide emissions.

Many of these key elements are laid out in the government’s Ag Climatise strategy and the Teagasc MACC (Marginal Abatement Cost Curve).

However, concerns have been raised by the young farmer organisation about the potential success of these unless key issues are addressed.

Duffy continued, stating: “If we want to change practices the first thing we must do is look at the makeup of farming.

Less than 5% of farmers are under the age of 35 – this is because young trained farmers are not able to access the land or credit they need.

“If you want to change practice, young driven farmers are what is needed.”

On another note, Macra pointed to “inconsistency” between European and Irish governmental ambition, as well as many of the policies currently in place, stating that this has often been regarded by farmers as a major obstacle to any environmental improvement.

“The most essential thing Irish government can do is to offer support for change and remove the many roadblocks and contradictions to more climate friendly agriculture,” Duffy said.

The loss of products which protect certain crops, such as Irish grown protein feeds and clover, while reducing weeds have been highlighted as a lack of consistence between government intent and practice on the ground, he added.

The failure to promote under 16-month bull beef or ensure investment in sexed semen are also highlighted as lacking in government policy, the president concluded.