A new report from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) "recognises positive changes" in farming and the agriculture sector, as well as remaining challenges.

That's according to the Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) which was responding to the EPA's State of the Environment report, which was released this week.

IFA environment chairperson John Murphy said that the report "recognises the transformative work and positive changes that are already taking place on farms as well as the challenges facing the sector to scale up adoption to meet climate, water and biodiversity targets".

"This is a view very much shared by farmers across the country and is sometimes lost in reporting as it relates to the environment," Murphy added.

According to Murphy, the sector is "transforming", but that the importance of achieving environmental sustainability in tandem with economic growth is "very much front and centre on farmers' minds".

"Farmers have a massive role to play, we are the boots on the ground. But we need to bring all farmers with us on this journey. We need to support them and incentivise them to change," he added.

However, the IFA environment chairperson said that that the scale and the cost of the change that is required to deliver on environmental targets cannot be achieved through Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) funding.

"The Climate and Nature Fund, which was established to provide additional investment for climate, nature and water, is a positive development, but more funding needs to be allocated, if targets are to be met," Murphy said.

According to the report, Ireland currently emits higher levels of greenhouse gases per person than the EU average, with the agricultural sector, the largest contributor to overall emissions, accounting for 37.8%, excluding the land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF) sector.

The EPA stated that “significant emissions reductions” are needed within agriculture, along with innovations to achieve reductions in areas such as feed additives and new fertilisers.