Reacting to the publication of the Government’s Climate Action (Amendment) Bill, IFA president Tim Cullinan said that while meeting the targets will be a challenge, farmers are ready to play their part.

“Farmers are already doing a lot, and the sector has a roadmap set out as part of the Teagasc MAC Curve. With the right supports and incentives, farmers can continue to play our part in the national effort by improving the carbon efficiency of our output,” he said.

“However, one of the real frustrations for farmers is that they are getting no credit for the carbon they are sequestering on their farms. We need to look at the net carbon position on farms that takes into account carbon offset as well as carbon emitted,” he said.

The report shows that NZ farms are offsetting substantial amounts of the carbon they are producing

He pointed to a report published today in New Zealand to show what is being measured in a country with a similar demographic and farming profile to Ireland.

The report shows that NZ farms are offsetting substantial amounts of the carbon they are producing.

This demonstrates what farmers in Ireland can do if they are supported to adopt enhanced emission efficiency measures and are credited for the carbon they are already sequestering in hedgerows. Tim Cullinan welcomed the acknowledgement in the Bill of the cyclical nature of methane in GHG emissions accounting methodology.

It is very frustrating to see the widespread scientific acknowledgement of the need to change the calculation system

“IFA has made this point strongly to Government and the IPCC over the past year. It is positive to see this being acknowledged, but we need the inventory calculations to be changed to reflect this.

“It is very frustrating to see the widespread scientific acknowledgement of the need to change the calculation system, but at the same time, we are told the system can’t be changed until 2030. This makes no sense,” he said.

Tim Cullinan has sent his congratulations to Mairead McGuinness on the confirmation of her appointment to the Financial Services portfolio: “Last week’s overwhelming endorsement from the Parliament, by 583 votes to 75, underlines the stature of Mairead McGuinness on the European stage. I want to wish her well in the role and we look forward to working with her.

“We are at a very sensitive point in the Brexit negotiations. There was never a greater need for a strong and authoritative Irish nominee at the Commission table,” he said.

We welcome the comments from Mairead McGuinness during her hearing last Friday that ‘sustainability is not only green, but social too’

“Mairead McGuinness will bring a credible and experienced voice on agriculture to the discussions, which will be crucial in defending our position as the talks head towards a conclusion.

“We welcome the comments from Mairead McGuinness during her hearing last Friday that ‘sustainability is not only green, but social too’. Farmers’ incomes must be supported to deliver a viable income as production costs continue to rise.”

IFA will also be looking to the Commissioner to maintain her work on unfair trading practices. Farmers must be protected and the IFA fully endorse her statement that “no case is too small for us to know about in the Commission”.

In her time as an MEP, McGuinness has developed a strong network across the EU, which will be helpful in building alliances to secure outcomes that work for Ireland.