Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue has received a progress report from the Food Vision Beef and Sheep Group, which outlines the measures that will be analysed by stakeholders.

These measures – 20 in total – to cut emissions from the beef sector are divided into ‘direct impacts’ and ‘enabling actions’, with nine measures in the former group and 11 in the latter group.

Direct impact measures would be reductions to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that could be counted in the national agriculture inventory of GHGs.

Enabling actions would not directly impact GHG emissions, but would support the implementation and adaption of the direct impacts.

The measures identified in the progress report are proposed for further analysis and evaluation. The report does not represent an agreement at this time.

The nine direct impact measures are as follows:

  • Measure 1 – reduce slaughter age by 2.7 months on average (medium/long-term action targeting methane emissions);
  • Measure 2 – Reduce age of first calving to 24 months on average (medium/long-term action targeting methane emissions);
  • Measure 3 – development of methane-mitigating feed technologies (short/medium-term action targeting methane emissions);
  • Measure 4 – Target a 90% replacement rate of calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN) fertiliser with protected urea by 2025 on grass-based beef systems (short-term action targeting nitrous oxide emissions);
  • Measure 5 – Reduce chemical nitrogen use in beef sector by 30% by 2030 and 20% by 2025 (short-term and medium-term action targeting nitrous oxide emissions);
  • Measure 6 – Increase organic production (short-term action targeting nitrous oxide emissions);
  • Measure 7 – Development of methane-mitigating breeding strategies (short-term and medium-term action targeting methane emissions);
  • Measure 8 – Voluntary diversification scheme (short-term action targeting all GHG emissions associated with the beef sector);
  • Measure 9 – Voluntary extensification scheme (short-term action targeting all GHG emissions associated with the beef sector).

It is understood that the targeted emissions reduction through these measures, in terms of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2 eq), would be accounted for through measures one to seven, with measures eight and nine offering additional reductions depending on the uptake of the voluntary schemes.

The 11 enabling actions outlined in the progress report are as follows:

  • Measure 10 – Establish methodologies for measuring GHG emissions and farm removals (short-term action targeting all GHG emissions associated with the beef sector);
  • Measure 11 – Commission a study on a carbon farming framework (short-term-action targeting all GHG emissions associated with the beef sector);
  • Measure 12 – Improve nitrogen use efficiency through liming and soil pH testing (short-term action targeting nitrous oxide emissions);
  • Measures 13 – Encouraging clover adoption and multi-species swards (short-term action targeting nitrous oxide emissions);
  • Measure 14 – Increase adoption of low-emissions slurry spreading (LESS) equipment (short-term action targeting nitrous oxide emissions);
  • Measure 15 – Introduce animal health measures for various bovine diseases (short/medium-term action targeting methane emissions);
  • Measure 16 – Develop energy diversification opportunities (medium/long-term action targeting all GHG emissions associated with the beef sector);
  • Measure 17 – Design a climate action communications strategy (short-term action targeting all GHG emissions associated with the beef sector);
  • Measure 18 – Increase investment in climate change research and knowledge transfer (short-term action targeting all GHG emissions associated with the beef sector);
  • Measure 19 – Develop enhanced integration between the beef and dairy sectors (medium/long-term action targeting all GHG emissions associated with the beef sector);
  • Measure 20 – Support the role of young farmers and women in agriculture to “bring new skills and new thinking” to farm enterprises (medium/long-term action targeting all GHG emissions associated with the beef sector);

Commenting after he received the report, Minister McConalogue said: “I appreciate that the measures set out at this interim stage are not agreed by the group, but will be considered in further detailed analysis as part of the group’s ongoing work.

“It is important to recognise that all parts of the sector are working together to find the best sustainable pathway forward for the sector,” he added.

“Ireland is a world leader in the production of safe, sustainable and tradeable beef. We want to build on these foundations to become even more sustainable over the coming years.

“We need to act with a sense of urgency both to meet our legal commitments, and to safeguard Ireland’s well-deserved reputation as a sustainable producer of quality beef,” the minister said.

Reacting to the progress report, the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) called on the minister to set out funding levels that will be made available to the sector in order to advance discussions.

Brendan Golden, the association’s livestock chairperson, said that the report identifies the importance of ensuring the economic viability of the sector in order to contribute to emissions reductions.

“The level of ambition for the sector will be determined by the level of new funding available from government to implement measures at farm level.

“Suckler and beef farmers do not have the financial capacity to invest in measures that may or may not deliver returns in the longer term. We are not prepared to take these risks,” Golden added.