Environment
Proposals from Fine Gael to introduce a methane reduction target would be "damaging to Ireland's rural economy", according to the IFA.
Agri Politics
The IFA's Environmental chairman, Thomas Cooney, has confirmed he will be putting his name forward for the position of IFA treasurer.
The voluntary resource management programme has announced its 2019 results with average cost savings on participating farms of €6,336.
A farm-lobby group's environmental chairman has today called for the Irish Government to vito the looming EU/Mercosur deal.
Agri-Business
A meeting to progress proposals for a 'Sustainability Development Programme' has been called for as in a lobby group's submission.
A recent report from the Irish Business and Employers Confederation has included a recommendation to introduce "short-term carbon budgets".
The environmental chairman of a farm lobby group has called for all farmer investments in LESS to be made exempt from VAT.
A farm lobby group has called for support to encourage farmers to undertake measures such as liming, soil aeration and using protected urea.
It has been stressed that Ireland cannot have "a short, sharp cut off with a nitrate derogation as happened in Holland in 2018".
Following the department's decision to conduct a review of the nitrates derogations' terms, the IFA has announced it will hold five farmer meetings.
The Dáil’s declaration of a climate emergency has been described as “a wake-up call following a decade of climate inaction”.
The Smart Farming Programme Leader has expressed his delight following Smart Farming’s receipt of the inaugural Talamh Agri-Innovation Award.
The recent publication of research by Teagasc and NUI Galway "highlights the need to review the current approach to developing greenways".
Calls have been made for the Government to publish a list of the illegal dumping prosecutions that have been made.
With regards to climate action, agriculture is a sector that "has a plan", but the Government needs to "put in the investment".
The support from the committee on climate action for the Teagasc 'Climate Roadmap' has been described as "a victory for common sense".
Rural Life
"Local authorities must develop plans to address the annual increase in countryside dumping that takes place post-Christmas."
"Raw sewage from the equivalent of 88,000 people in 38 towns and villages is continuing to damage our rivers and streams across the country."
"The tyre bring centres have lead to the collection of 4,200 - 4,300t of tyres - that's the equivalent of around 500,000 car tyres.
An estimated 400 farmers attended the final farm waste tyre bring centre, which took place in Monard, Co. Tipperary on Saturday.
"Ireland’s focus on improving efficiency in the agriculture sector dovetails with key proposals contained in the UN's Climate Change report."
Greenways will not work if threatening compulsory land acquisitions is the strategy used, they must be co-designed with landowners, IFA says.
Minister Michael Creed has been urged once again to increase the grant rate available for low-emissions slurry spreading equipment.
