Farmers could be paid to cut suckler numbers for a fixed period or exit the sector completely, the Food Vision beef and sheep group has proposed.

The group was established by Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue to advance the Government’s Food Vision 2030 strategy.

The Irish Farmers Journal can reveal that it recommends the introduction of a “voluntary” scheme which would pay farmers to reduce cow numbers for a given period.

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The group recommends that the scheme should be open to farmers who wish to completely or partially exit suckler beef production.

The proposal is one of 17 recommendations made by the group, which is tasked with mitigating emissions from the drystock sector.

Other measures include reducing the average age of slaughter to under 24 months, cutting the age of first calving, replacing CAN fertiliser usage with protected urea and increasing organic production.

Fears have been expressed that the move to reduce the age of slaughter will result in a glut of cattle in the spring.