In this week's edition, Darren Carty looks at how environmental schemes are starting to shape agricultural productivity by influencing grassland management practices.

Through the design of these schemes, the direction of travel being set by the Department of Agriculture for the sheep and suckler sector is becoming clear: a low-input system where maximising environmental gain, rather than driving productivity, will determine farm income.

Table 3 in the artcle is striking. Figures presented by the Department show that on top-quality land, cattle and sheep production will deliver an income of €478/ha. In this situation, the livestock system will contribute 83% to total income.

However, where a farmer on very poor land maximises the environmental credentials of his farm rather than its production ability, the income jumps 60% to €752/ha. The existence of cattle and sheep in this system is largely irrelevant, contributing just 6% to farm income.

With €300m per annum of direct income supports set to be rerouted to farmers through eco schemes, alongside a possible €150m per annum carbon tax fund, there is no doubt that the Department has the financial firepower to deliver the outcome it wants.

Incentivising a reduction in the suckler herd and sheep flock through environmental payments that force a reduction in stocking rate certainly appears to be the direction of travel.

Forestry: further licensing changes needed

\ Philip Doyle

The recent increase in forestry felling licence approvals by the Department is a welcome development, although there is still room for improvement. There is also a danger that the recent increase in overall licences masks the deplorably poor performance of the afforestation programme, which is likely to be at little more than 2,000ha at the end of this year. There are good reasons to believe nursery and forestry companies who maintain that the drive to increase felling and roading licences is at the expense of planting.

The current Project Woodland, which aims to implement the Jim Mackinnon review of forestry in Ireland, has now been in existence for five months. Apart from addressing the dysfunctional licensing system, its key aim should be to deliver an 8,000ha planting programme, as recommended by Mackinnon and approved by the Government.

Dairy: Ireland and New Zealand key allies

At Wednesday’s Pasture Summit, a succession of speakers discussed the food-producing links between Ireland and New Zealand. These are not just around grass-based production, but also that both countries export over 90% of their food produce and agricultural emissions account for over one-third of overall greenhouse gas emissions. No country in Europe is comparable to Ireland in this regard.

In September, the UN will convene a special Food Systems Summit in New York. While market access to the EU and UK may make for awkward conversations now, the bigger picture is food and climate change obligations. New Zealand and Ireland should be working together at government level to make sure the significant contribution both make to global food security and in reducing the environmental footprint of global food production is recognised.