Reducing emissions is a challenge the farming sector must engage with and to transition to a carbon neutral sector will require a step-up, Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed has said.
He told the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA) AGM in Sligo on Thursday that this means making changes on each and every one of our 139,000 plus farms.
“There is no room for complacency,” he said.
Minister Creed said that protecting the environment and the sustainable development of agriculture are two sides of the same coin.
“The increased focus on the environment under the next CAP dovetails with our national ambition to transition to a low carbon economy.
“This is not without its challenges but it is imperative that as a country, a sector and society as a whole that we work together to deliver on our climate change ambitions and targets in the year ahead.
“And this obligation will apply across all sectors, including areas like transport, construction, energy generation, and waste management. No sector will be unaffected,” he said.
Sustainable food production
Minister Creed said that protecting sustainable food production is a serious matter given the rise in the world population and increased biomass demands for energy generation - but balancing this production with protecting the environment is equally important.
“We already have an efficient agricultural system but we must continue to make improvements in terms of sustainability and environmental performance on all our individual farms,” he said.
The Minister said that €106m has been made available for forestry measures in 2019 alone under the Forestry Programme 2014-2020.
“If we are to meet the challenges of climate change afforestation has a role to play.
“We will also be investing in appropriate management of carbon rich peat soils to support carbon abatement.
“In terms of displacing fossil fuel and energy intensive materials with renewable materials and residues, the agriculture sector has a key role to play, both in terms of energy efficiency and displacement of fossil fuels through renewable energy generation on farm and through the supply of biomass materials,” he said.
Hill farmers
Minister Creed said that he knows that hill farmers in particular have acted as custodians of the land and biodiversity for some time, often farming in challenging and constrained circumstances.
“The knowledge and experience you have developed in doing so will be very valuable as we continue the road ahead and I look forward to working with you as we face these challenges together,” he said.
Read more
Expanding dairy herd puts agriculture on upward emissions path
'Climate change is the challenge of our generation and generations to come'
Reducing emissions is a challenge the farming sector must engage with and to transition to a carbon neutral sector will require a step-up, Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed has said.
He told the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA) AGM in Sligo on Thursday that this means making changes on each and every one of our 139,000 plus farms.
“There is no room for complacency,” he said.
Minister Creed said that protecting the environment and the sustainable development of agriculture are two sides of the same coin.
“The increased focus on the environment under the next CAP dovetails with our national ambition to transition to a low carbon economy.
“This is not without its challenges but it is imperative that as a country, a sector and society as a whole that we work together to deliver on our climate change ambitions and targets in the year ahead.
“And this obligation will apply across all sectors, including areas like transport, construction, energy generation, and waste management. No sector will be unaffected,” he said.
Sustainable food production
Minister Creed said that protecting sustainable food production is a serious matter given the rise in the world population and increased biomass demands for energy generation - but balancing this production with protecting the environment is equally important.
“We already have an efficient agricultural system but we must continue to make improvements in terms of sustainability and environmental performance on all our individual farms,” he said.
The Minister said that €106m has been made available for forestry measures in 2019 alone under the Forestry Programme 2014-2020.
“If we are to meet the challenges of climate change afforestation has a role to play.
“We will also be investing in appropriate management of carbon rich peat soils to support carbon abatement.
“In terms of displacing fossil fuel and energy intensive materials with renewable materials and residues, the agriculture sector has a key role to play, both in terms of energy efficiency and displacement of fossil fuels through renewable energy generation on farm and through the supply of biomass materials,” he said.
Hill farmers
Minister Creed said that he knows that hill farmers in particular have acted as custodians of the land and biodiversity for some time, often farming in challenging and constrained circumstances.
“The knowledge and experience you have developed in doing so will be very valuable as we continue the road ahead and I look forward to working with you as we face these challenges together,” he said.
Read more
Expanding dairy herd puts agriculture on upward emissions path
'Climate change is the challenge of our generation and generations to come'
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