The IFA has called for the Government to back the farming community in its contribution to climate action, by drawing up a list of steps it believes should be taken.
The five-step plan should, the IFA says, offset further carbon taxes, which the association claims hurts farmers economically, while not actually lowering climate emissions.
Among the steps laid out is the establishment of a “cross-sectoral implementation group” to deliver on Teagasc’s climate abatement report from June.
The IFA also wants the Government to work with the European Union to bring in a carbon tariff on goods from South America, which are “less climate efficient” – this, it hopes, will “incentivise carbon efficient food production”.
The IFA’s steps for supporting farming’s contribution to climate action:
- Establish a cross-sectoral implementation group to mobilise Government departments and the State’s advisory, scientific and economic development agencies to maximise the delivery of the emissions reductions identified by Teagasc in their recent climate abatement report;
- Work with EU leaders to introduce a carbon tariff on all less-climate efficient imports into the EU from South America and other regions to incentivise carbon efficient food production;
- Appoint an independent retail regulator to ensure farmers get a fairer share of the food supply chain, allowing them to continue to reinvest to further climate proof their farm businesses;
- Re-examine the climate metrics applied when calculating methane, and include, in the calculation of emissions, the natural reductions through carbon sinks, such as forests and permanent pastures;
- The introduction of a guaranteed feed-in tariff model, increased grid-access, introduction of crowdfunding legislation and the development of biomass trade and logistics centres.
Thomas Cooney, IFA Environment Committee chairman, said: “This detailed submission to Government restates the IFA’s opposition to further carbon taxes on the sector, which are directly impacting on farming’s competitiveness without reducing climate emissions.
“Farmers in Ireland have a proud record as carbon efficient food producers. We can and will do more, particularly in the resource efficiency and renewable areas,” he added.