INHFA renews calls to halt Nature Restoration Law
The Irish Natura and Hill Farmers' Association (INHFA) has renewed its calls for the Nature Restoration Law to be halted.
The farm organisation said it is now calling for the law to be put on hold after what it called "evidence" on peatland emissions that was presented by Ulster University at a joint Teagasc and CAFRE conference on hill farming that was held in Glenwherry, Co. Antrim, last week.
Pheilim Molloy - who will become the INHFA president later this week at the organisation's annual general meeting (AGM) - claimed that, based on this evidence, drained peatland sequesters an average 2.53t CO2 equivalent (eq) per hectare per year.
Molloy said that, in light of that evidence, it is "totally unacceptable that peatland farmers are being dictated to by the EU on drained peatland".
With one of the arguments behind the Nature Restoration Law being to reduce emissions from peatlands, Molloy said that the law should be paused "until we can determine what level of carbon if any is being lost from our peatlands".
"With this in mind, it is critical that the Irish state, through Teagasc or the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, now commission our own research on both our drained and upland peatland areas, which was a call at least year's [INHFA] AGM."
The incoming INHFA president called for "accurate research" on issued relating to peatlands and hills, stating "if we continue to leave this research on those outside [Ireland] we are destined to be rule takers on controversial science than rule makers based on good science."
The Nature Restoration Law generated significant controversy during its development, and faced strong opposition from farm organisations and several European governments.
The law was eventually adopted by the EU last summer only after an Austrian minister voted against the position of her own government, and after the European elections.
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon is set to attend the annual general meeting (AGM) of the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers' Association (INHFA).
The meeting is scheduled to take place on Thursday of this week (September 11) at the Percy French Hotel, in Strokestown, Co. Roscommon.
Among other business, the AGM will see the formal hand over in leadership from outgoing president Vincent Roddy to incoming president Pheilim Molloy, who accepted the nomination for organisation president last month.
The AGM will also see the election of a national secretary and treasurer.
Donegal native Molloy will also nominate his vice-presidents for the coming two-year term of his presidency.
