The “narrative” around farmers and their supposed negative impact on the environment and climate is “lazy and ill-informed”, according to one TD and former agriculture minister.
Fianna Fáil TD Brendan Smith was speaking during parliamentary questions in the Dáil yesterday (Wednesday, June 30), when he said: “The farming community wants a clear message that the national co-financing commitments that were made will be honoured over the next number years.
This includes €1.5 billion in revenue from the Carbon Tax that will be used for agri-environment payments to farmers. Smith welcomed a commitment given by Taoiseach Micheál Martin that government support for farming and agri-food would be forthcoming.
“There is often a lazy and ill-informed narrative with regard to farming and climate change. Farmers have adapted and modernised their systems.
“Our food production systems are sustainable and in the climate debate – while we all know there must be improvements from every sector in that regard – we must ensure that sustainable food production systems in Europe are not displaced by food being imported from areas in South America and elsewhere where forests are being felled to make land arable,” Smith urged.
The Cavan-Monaghan TD highlighted that the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) was established to ensure a secure supply of safe food for European citizens.
“It provides income support to farmers but it also ensures that there is a continuity of sustainable production of food and plays a key role in the environment.
“Our commitment must be absolute to ensuring that additional financial support is provided through national co-financing alongside CAP-supported schemes.
“We all know that if we are to have a vibrant rural Ireland, our farming and agri-food sectors must be the lead economic drivers in that regard,” Smith stressed.
In answer, the Taoiseach said that “the commitments made [on co-financing] will be followed through on”.