The Green Party has unveiled its manifesto for the general election today (Tuesday, November 12), which includes a pledge to end live animal exports to non-EU countries for fattening and slaughter.
The party’s manifesto makes a number of pledges in relation to farming, including on organics, exports and nature restoration. Other pledges in the manifesto focus on topics including transport, housing, education, economy, childcare and health.
The party pledges to end live animal exports to non-EU countries for fattening and slaughter, and to phase out the export of unweaned calves to EU member states.
A target to double the area of agricultural land being farmed organically to 10% by 2030, with a further target of 15% by 2035 is also set out in the manifesto. The 2030 target is in line with Ireland’s National Organic Strategy.
The party also pledged in its manifesto for the general election taking place on Friday, November 29, to end fox hunting and ban hare coursing during the next term of government.
Green Party on farming
The party pledges to advocate for an EU nature restoration fund, and to use Ireland’s Climate and Nature Fund to support large-scale nature restoration projects on public and private land, and to continue creating new national parks and nature reserves.
On climate action, the party pledges to use the €3.15 billion Climate and Nature Fund in multiple ways, including €300 million to support a new biomethane industry, and €200 million for energy efficiency measures for businesses.
Supports for farmers as pledged in the party’s manifesto include:
- €650 million under the Climate and Nature Fund for supports to farmers and other landowners to meet their nature restoration and water quality objectives;
- Supporting the diversification of farm incomes through the growth of organic farming, forestry, horticulture, and anaerobic digestion;
- Supporting research into new environmentally friendly farming practices, and the deployment of new technologies;
- Promote and incentivise alternatives to slurry-based systems for winter animal housing, such as composting barns, through targeted research funding and pilot projects;
- Actively promote and support the low-intensity management of farms with peaty
soils in a way that permits the continued use of the land for farming; - In parallel with fully resourcing and delivering on the agriculture measures
in the Water Action Plan, establish a cross-departmental taskforce to plan in
collaboration with all relevant stakeholders for the eventuality of the nitrates
derogation coming to an end.
The party also pledged to deliver on the Strategic Dialogue recommendation to end area-based payments in the next Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), instead targeting greater support towards activities and farming systems such as tillage and organics.
The manifesto also states that the party will fund the increase in the area of agricultural land being farmed organically by “scaling down” the Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) scheme.
The party plans to develop a Young Farmers for Nature Programme, to be funded by the Climate and Nature Fund, that explores novel mechanisms to help agriculture graduates access land to farm it in line with biodiversity, water and climate objectives.
Deputy leader of the Green Party, Senator Róisin Garvey said: “We will double the area of agricultural land being farmed organically to 10% by 2030 and use the Climate and Nature Fund to pay farmers for large-scale nature restoration projects.
“Living on my family farm at home, I cannot ignore the improvements I see to my neighbours’ farms thanks to the Greens in government.
“We are giving farmers money to plant trees, they’re getting solar panels on their dairy farms and they’re going organic. Local links are changing people’s lives all around rural Ireland.”