The recent 2018 EPA climate report confirms that, unsurprisingly, agriculture accounts for about one-third of Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions. That didn’t really come as big news. But it continues to act as valuable ammunition in slamming farming.

Farmers know the challenges ahead and will adapt accordingly with the requisite policy adjustment and leadership. But they’re not going fast enough for some of the more extreme anti-farming campaigners who jumped on the latest EPA report even if agriculture’s small increase in emissions wasn’t such a sensational story.

Don’t the handwringers realise it’ll be farmers who’ll do more to tackle climate change than the rest of us urbanites cradling our keep cups?

It is one thing to demand creative change in the way we farm to protect the environment. That is a given. But it must be galling for farmers to be lectured by ideologists with notions of a rural utopia that is simply unfeasible. Don’t the handwringers realise it’ll be farmers who’ll do more to tackle climate change than the rest of us urbanites cradling our keep cups?

The logical solution to a viable Irish farming sector and a viable biodiversity-rich environment co-existing in harmony is if there is a bipartisan approach. It must be without prejudice and with a mutual respect. I’ve seen a lot of evidence of this progressive collaboration already happening amidst the throwing of brickbats.

It might be a minority, but in the online bubble where many are easily led and our young decision makers of tomorrow hang out, those with the anti-farming agendas are shouting loudest

However, that middle ground remains narrow as farmers are made run the gauntlet of uninformed extremists who, if there was a wanted poster for the causes of climate change, they’d pin up the mug shot of a Hereford. It might be a minority, but in the online bubble where many are easily led and our young decision makers of tomorrow hang out, those with the anti-farming agendas are shouting loudest.

Much of it is based on the more global image of industrial farming which is alien to the vast majority of Irish farms. Yet it pertains in the public discourse. That rhetoric then feeds into the worrying trend of cowardly anarchists trespassing on farms and threatening farmers and their families with violence.

Farmers are only one part of that EPA figure yet they are put on the frontline to take all the hits

As such farmers feel frightened and isolated. And most disturbingly, children of farmers are now being made feel ashamed of their parent’s profession. That is where we are at. Farmers are only one part of that EPA figure yet they are put on the frontline to take all the hits.

It begs a pertinent question: what about the rest of the multi-billon euro Irish agribusiness industry? Why do we never hear from the captains of industry, the CEOs and the barons running the co-ops, plcs, corporations and companies making their millions on the backs of farmers?

When the image of Irish farming is in the spotlight, why are they conspicuous by their absence? We know that beef barons employ a collective vow of silence at all times, but is it an actual policy that exists all across the Irish agri food spectrum to always keep the head down and say nothing?

The heavy hitters of Irish agribusiness need to share their expertise and policy at this critical time

Their input into how agriculture is going to reduce its carbon footprint would be welcome particularly in light of the Government’s climate advisory committee proposal to reduce the national herd. It is one thing talking at a farmer conference or giving a quote to the farming press. But the heavy hitters of Irish agribusiness need to share their expertise and policy at this critical time, as surely they’ve plenty of constructive things to say. It is the least farmers at the other end of the food chain deserve.

Consideration

It is sad to see some of the negative comments regarding RTÉ’s woes. What’s even sadder is how misinformed the comments are. Maybe they should look up the definition of “public service” broadcasting before commenting.