Decarbonisation will be a key driver for the beef processing sector over the next 10 years according to Meat Industry Ireland (MII) which today (Thursday, February 9) published its Irish Beef Sector Sustainability Report and roadmap to 2030.
The new report highlights that processors aim to reduce scope one and two emissions by more than 50% and scope three emissions by 30% by 2030.
Scope one covers direct emissions from owned or controlled sources.
Scope two covers indirect emissions from the generation of purchased electricity, steam, heating and cooling consumed by the reporting company.
Scope three includes all other indirect emissions that occur in a company’s value chain, according to the Carbon Trust.
MII – the Irish Business and Employers Confederation (Ibec) sector organisation that represents primary beef processing companies – has said this will reduce absolute emissions at farm level which in turn will be reflected in the agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory.
The 11 actions include:
The new MII report was launched by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, at the organisation’s headquarters in Dublin this morning.
The report outlines that MII members “are committed to delivering individual sustainability programmes to incentivise their suppliers guided by the Beef Sustainability Charter, which will be published separately”.
Some of the key actions mentioned in the report include:
- National roadmap on age of finishing: Reducing age at finish with a focus on weight for age to ensure emissions are minimised and a financially sustainable dairy-beef and suckler system is delivered. The new Climate Action Plan target of 22-23 months will add to a cumulative reduction in emissions by 2030, according to the report;
- Genetic research: The report notes that genetics have the potential to mitigate up to 400,000t of GHG emissions annually by 2030. MII members have “a clear objective of driving genetic improvement in the beef herd which has already delivered strong results, with 76% of replacement heifers now four/five-stars compared to 52% in 2015;
- Commercial Beef Value Index: Implementation of dairy breeding strategies that utilise the Commercial Beef Value (CBV) index, methane traits and carbon sub-index to ensure calves most suitable for beef production are produced;
- National Genotyping programme: The report notes genotyping all animals at birth “is critical in providing the surety needed in terms of genetic merit for climate and the environment and ensuring these factors are front and centre of breeding strategies”.
The report also details that the beef sector “continues to act as the mainstay of many rural communities across the country” with more than 90,000 farm families involved in the sector, producing record exports worth over €2.5 billion to the economy in 2022.
MII chair
Speaking at the launch of the report, Philip Carroll, chairperson of MII said:
“With growing emphasis on climate change and the need to meet new and challenging GHG emission reduction targets, MII’s primary beef-processing industry members have been focused on building on our sustainability efforts, which have been further driven in line with Food Vision 2030.
“Over the next decade and beyond, even higher standards of agri-food sustainability will be demanded in the marketplace.
“Customers will increasingly prioritise sourcing from suppliers that contribute to and support their own sustainability agendas. This provides a crucial opportunity for the Irish beef sector to reinforce its position as a solutions provider to deliver on customer targets.”
According to Minister McConalogue, the MII report “recognises the higher standards the marketplace demands of the beef processing sector” in terms of sustainability and how this will only become more important in the years ahead.
“I believe all partners in the sector must come together to ensure that sustainability, in all its dimensions, is at the core of everything we do, as set out in our shared Food Vision 2030 strategy.
“Industry has a key role to play in ensuring this sustainability, and particularly in contributing to the sustainability – economic and environmental – of its farm family suppliers,” he said.
Meat Industry Ireland
Dale Crammond, director of MII, also echoed these sentiments at the launch and acknowledged “the actions and associated investment” taken by member companies to contribute towards climate obligations in the first sustainability report for MII.
“Our clear message is that Ireland’s primary beef processing sector will continue to build on its reputation as a world-class sustainable food producer and supplier.
“Irish beef processors are amongst the leaders in Europe in their work to reduce the environmental footprint of our industry.
“There are several issues to be addressed by the sector between now and 2030, these are covered in the report, and MII is committed to working with all stakeholders to deliver for all,” he said.
Crammond also warned that government policy support and investment “will be needed to assist the sector to reduce emissions” particularly in the area of new research and technology developments.