The National Dairy Council (NDC) has written to RTÉ to call out its “misleading messaging” on the programme, What Planet Are You On?

The show focuses on how Irish families can combat their carbon emissions but a particular point of concern for Irish agriculture and farmers has been the show’s use of global rather than Irish data on agriculture emissions.

In the letter, the NDC states: “This data gives a global average figure for dairy, stating that a 200ml serving [of dairy] is responsible for 0.64kg CO2 eq. However, the European figure is 0.44 g CO2 eq and the emissions of Irish dairy are substantially less, with an average of 0.24kg CO2 eq per 200ml serving.”

National Dairy Council highlights issues with information provided on the RTÉ show, What Planet Are You On?

The NDC also highlights its concerns and said it was “utterly disappointing” that despite the valuable information provided on recycling and water conservation, the programme had opted for “inaccurate dietary extremism over scientific balance and moderation.

RTÉ’s encouragement to reduce intakes is particularly harmful to public health messaging

“The show promotes the message that veganism is the optimal and most advantageous approach when striving towards a sustainable eating pattern,” it wrote, and added that the show-makers had overlooked WHO guidance and the Irish Department of Health guidance that recommends moderate intake of three servings of dairy per day.

“Given that the majority of Irish adults already fall short of the recommendations for dairy (with only 13% meeting the guidelines), RTÉ’s encouragement to reduce intakes is particularly harmful to public health messaging,” it wrote.

The body representing agricultural organisations and industry, Meat and Dairy Facts, also contacted RTÉ to highlight its concerns that data used was not representative of Irish farming.