Farmers and rural Ireland support climate action – but achieving environmental targets must be balanced with the sector’s “competitive role in producing high-quality, nutritious food at a reasonably low cost”, the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) has said.

Commenting on the matter, IFA president Tim Cullinan said: “Farmers are committed to playing their part in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

“But policymakers cannot underestimate the scale of the challenge and must provide a framework to make this feasible for the sector,” he said.

“Co-investment must continue to support farmers to remain competitive and sustainable as they transition through these changes.”

Speaking at the Irish Climate Summit event this afternoon (Thursday, April 29), the IFa president said:

“So often, simplistic soundbites are thrown out in an attempt to scaremonger and skewer.

“The fact is, however, that unlike other sectors such as transport today’s agricultural GHG emissions are at a similar level to those in 1995.”

He pointed to ongoing innovation in the sector, which will pay climate dividends over the next decade.

“To date, farmers have invested over €80 million in Low Emission Slurry Spreading [LESS] equipment, while sales of protected urea have more than doubled in 2020. Additionally, Ireland’s use of energy in agriculture is 56% the EU average.”

Speaking about the recently published Climate Action Bill, the president said it was essential to consider Ireland’s targets within a global context.

“Our grass-based production system is extremely efficient from a carbon perspective.”

Continuing, the president said:

“It makes no sense to drive food production elsewhere, resulting in carbon leakage as global food demand is increasing. This fact must be a key consideration.

Cullinan also welcomed recognition in the bill that measures for achieving a climate-neutral economy may not yet be fully identified and may evolve through innovation, developing scientific consensus and emerging technologies.

He said this was particularly relevant to biogenic methane.

“The key issue in the months ahead is that there is full engagement with farmers. It’s easy to set targets, but they must be realistic and achievable and strike the right balance between the three pillars of sustainability – environmental, economic and social,” he said.