There needs to be input from all sectors, not just the dairy sector, said Macra president John Keane in response to the first draft report of the Food Vision dairy group which was circulated on Thursday.

"The beef and the other livestock enterprises should be around this table before anything is concretely agreed.

"It's not fair for one sector to be agreeing targets without the input of other enterprises," he said.

Retirement scheme

Keane argued that the inner workings of a retirement scheme have yet to be mapped out.

"From a young farmers' point of view, there's nothing concrete there about a retirement scheme.

"We [Macra] have looked for a retirement scheme for a long number of years across all sectors," he said.

Keane added that the reality of a retirement scheme is that it must free up land for young farmers to avail of.

"From a generational renewal point of view, it doesn't make sense to be taking land out of the system and excluding certain enterprises from being able to use that land," he said.

It's going to further inflate the cost of land and reduce the amount of available land

Keane emphasised how hard it is for young farmers to compete at the levels that are currently being paid for leased land.

"If you further narrow the market by reducing the amount of leased land that can become available, it's going to further inflate the cost of land and reduce the amount of available land for young farmers."

He added that access to finance and credit remains a large barrier for young farmers.

Older generation

Keane alluded to the retirement scheme in 2007, whereby retired farmers were at risk of losing payment if they were seen "putting on their wellies outside the back door".

He said that this was not a road we should go down again.

"Older farmers need to be supported fully for exit, so that they are financially secure and that there is still the ability for them to be involved in whatever farming capacity they can."

Among the 17 recommendations from the group's interim report to cut emissions is a common policy on milk intake for all new entrants.

"Restrictions on the upper limit of cows on new enterprises should be considered to prevent mega-herds developing," it said.