Farmers and members of the public can make submissions in regard to the setting of upcoming emission targets in the climate bill from 19 April until 15 June.

The launch of the draft Agri-Food Strategy to 2030 was welcomed by the Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue.

“It considers many of the issues that will be central to the development of the sector over the next 10 years,” the minister said.

“These include a strong focus on improving primary producer viability and farm incomes; the importance of ensuring that our food offering continues to be high-quality, safe and healthy; the need to embrace innovation and improve competitiveness; and the requirement for an environmentally sustainable agri-food sector.”

The climate bill sets out a target of reaching net zero emissions by 2050 across the economy.

This has caused some concern among farmers as the agriculture sector is the biggest contributor to emissions in Ireland (34%) due to the high contribution of the greenhouse gas biogenic methane from the livestock population.

Teagasc and other bodies have called for a separate biogenic methane target, similar to the New Zealand model.

The draft strategy currently outlines a 10% cut in methane from livestock by 2030, a 55,000t cut in chemical nitrogen and the setting aside of 10% of farmed land for biodiversity by 2030.

More information can be found here.

Submissions can also be sent to 2030StrategyEnvironmentalConsultation@agriculture.gov.ie or by post to the following address:

Draft Agri-Food Strategy to 2030 Environmental Consultation

Climate Change and Bioenergy Policy Division,

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine,

Pavilion A, Grattan Business Park,

Dublin Road,

Portlaoise,

Co Laois,

R32 K857

Please indicate which document your submission relates to.

Submissions or observations made with respect to the draft Agri-Food Strategy to 2030, the Environmental Report and/or the Natura Impact Statement will be taken into consideration before finalisation of the strategy.

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