Jason Clay emphasised the fact that greenhouse gas emissions and pollution which can occur from agriculture are the problem and that capping animal numbers or placing a target on reducing animal numbers will not lead to a solution to reduce emissions from animals.

He was speaking with Irish Farmers Journal editor Justin McCarthy on the latest instalment of Around the Editor’s Table.

“Cows are at some level probably a problem, but the real issue is greenhouse gas emissions and pollution.

Compliance is not what we need in a global economy where climate change is going to be affecting production

“We found in our work that when you give farmers or producers a target and let them find the best way to achieve it, you actually get innovation because some joker is going to go way beyond what you ever thought was possible, and then two or three more are, and then suddenly everybody is.

“If you give them a practice or a level that assumes a certain performance – like the number of cows or the number of hectares you can farm – you’re going to get compliance with that law, but not necessarily the result that you want.

“Compliance is not what we need in a global economy where climate change is going to be affecting production year-in year-out.

“Going forward, it’s all about change and being able to adapt to change quickly.”