There are calls for the government to carry out an assessment of both the social and economic impacts of a reduction in suckler cow numbers.
The Irish Natura and Hill Farmers’ Association (INHFA) has said that suckler farming is dominant in many parts of the country where other farming options are not realistic due to constraints as soil type, terrain and fragmented holdings.
Speaking this morning, INHFA deputy president Michael McDonnell asked what social and economic assessment has been carried out to measure the impact of a suckler cow reduction in these parts of the country.
He used the example of marts, asking if “there will be a future” for them in these areas.
McDonnell welcomed recent comments from Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue in which the minister defended the suckler sector.
Speaking at the European Livestock and Meat Trades Union European Conference and annual general meeting (AGM) in Dublin last week, Minister McConalogue said that Ireland “cannot and will not lose the suckler cow”.
Responding to these comments, McDonnell said: “Any further decline in the sector won’t just impact on the farmers, but risks undermining the economic wellbeing of many rural communities.
“Our suckler sector is under serious threat due to ongoing demands to reduce cow numbers in order to deliver on climate change targets.
“This need is taking precedence over everything else, including reasoned discussion on the benefits of suckler farming from a socio-economic and environmental perspective,” McDonnell added.
According to the INHFA deputy president, the promotion of Irish sucker beef will be undermined if suckler cows are labelled as an issue in relation to climate change.
“There is, we believe, a massive opportunity to market naturally reared suckler beef, both from an environmentally sustainable and animal husbandry perspective,” McDonnell commented.
“To do this we will need to differentiate it from other beef options, but we are concerned there isn’t an appetite with Bord Bia or our meat processors to do this. However, it is important that they clarify this.”
He also said that climate change action should be based on evidence and target the issues in areas highlighted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which “are not areas where suckler farming dominates”.
According to McDonnell, the INHFA “will not support any cull of our suckler cows”.