I truly believe that the issue of carbon footprint and all matters relating to it represent a ‘red herring’ for Ireland’s dairy sector.
Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) National Dairy Committee chairman, Stephen Arthur, reminded me earlier this week that Ireland’s milk industry is one of the country’s most outstanding success stories.
And he’s absolutely right. Our ace card in the pack is grazed grass.
This is the most natural feed for any ruminant animal. The scientists know this and – most importantly of all – consumers know it.
Moreover, pasture is the indigenous from of vegetation that grows across one third of the world’s surface, including Ireland.
Surely these are the fundamental facts that Irish food bodies should be communicating to the world. Yes, carbon footprint is important. But it is not the ‘Holy Grail’ of food production.
Working with nature to reduce the carbon footprint
Farming is all about working with nature. Given this fundamental reality, one could very quickly point the finger at the United States, whose farmers have converted million of acres of natural grassland into monocultures of maize (corn) and soya.
The biggest hypocrite of the lot is Brazil. The country continues to destroy vast tracts of natural rainforest to allow a few beef barons produce so-called ‘cheap’ beef.
In so doing, they are breaking every natural and moral law in the book. And, yet, Brazil is allowed to trade freely with the rest of the world.
Ireland has a great story to tell when it comes to producing food. And we are not telling it well enough.
Irish agriculture has tremendous advantages, relative to most other countries, when it comes to producing food. It currently feeds the equivalent of 25 million people.
Irish farmers recognise the need to fundamentally address the climate challenge. But it is the height of madness to come up with a solution that restricts food output here at a time of exponential population growth around the world.
Shared responsibility
Given the political focus of the climate change debate taking place in Ireland at the present time, one might easily include that agriculture is the only industry that has to ‘put its house order’.
In reality, all sectors have to step up to the mark. And the same principle also holds for every member of Irish society.
Meanwhile, there is no end to good news stories associated with Ireland’s proactive response to the climate change challenge.
The further refinement of wind and tidal technologies could transform the entire island into one of the world’s premier suppliers of green energy.
And if the scientists get around to cracking the technical challenges associated with the electrolysis of sea water, the opportunities for Ireland to become a global power hub are truly immense (it’s all about hydrogen).
But if Ireland’s farming sectors become transfixed on their carbon footprint, the only option may be to build big sheds and intensively feed animals.
By taking this approach, we automatically lose our marketing advantage in countries around the world.
Moreover, we can’t beat the likes of the US and Brazil at their own game.
So let’s just keep doing what we do best, growing grass and making sure that we put it to best use.