An exhibit on climate change at the Explorium in Co Dublin places significant emphasis on agriculture and its effect on climate change.

The interactive exhibit 'Cool It' is one of the activities which can be experienced at the Explorium in Sandyford - Ireland’s National Sports and Science Centre.

"Farming has to change", "cows are the worst offenders" and they're "heating and stinking the planet" are some of the statements made during the exhibit.

The exhibit mentions how electric airplanes, which will reduce air travel carbon emissions by 80%, and how increasing public transport will reduce pollution in cities.

However, there was no mention of the steps farmers are currently taking and, furthermore, no indication that there was anything the farming sector could do to reduce emissions.

More cows than people

The exhibit highlighted twice how there are more cows in Ireland than people and how eating less meat can reduce your carbon footprint.

"Winner, winner, no chicken dinner. Eating a plant-rich diet five days a week could reduce your carbon footprint by 50% - and it's cheaper and healthier for your diet," patrons are told.

Tipperary tillage farmer Noel Ryan said he was disgusted with how the National Science Centre called out the agricultural sector as the ones to blame the most, following a visit this week with his family.

"The general public that are going to be going in there won't be from a farming background and the one impression that they're getting is that we [farmers] are the biggest problem. They're turning the public against the farming industry," he said.

The most blatant exposure of farmer bashing

"From my view, this was the most blatant exposure of farmer bashing I have come across, and for it to come from a so-called educational exhibit was even more alarming.

"The vast number of people which will go through this exhibit will receive the message that agriculture is irresponsible, because they will only get one side of the story," the Thurles farmer said.