Another week, another report that questions modern farming. The UN report which bluntly states that 1m species face extinction (see page 8) cannot and should not be lightly dismissed. It puts modern farming as the primary cause, with global warming less influential.

Farmers have plenty of stomach for a fight, and are not afraid of hard work or making financial investment

We can point out that the worst damage is from the loss of habitats in the rainforests and savannahs far from Ireland. It would be better to accept that significant change is required, and farmers are willing to play their part. Much has been achieved over the last 20 years.

Farmers have plenty of stomach for a fight, and are not afraid of hard work or making financial investment. Though often depicted as traditional and resistant to change, they have repeatedly embraced transformative developments over the last 100 years. They will do so again, but need to be equipped with the belief that the task is achievable, and the blueprint for how to do so.

In 1960, John F Kennedy stated that man would walk on the moon before the end of the decade.

We need a John F Kennedy to pledge that climate change and species extinction will be tackled with the finest minds humanity can offer, unlimited financial resources, and absolute political backing

It seemed impossible, but he tasked NASA to build the pathway, and he committed unlimited resources to it. In 1969, Neil Armstrong walked on the moon.

We need a John F Kennedy to pledge that climate change and species extinction will be tackled with the finest minds humanity can offer, unlimited financial resources, and absolute political backing.

It won’t happen in Washington this time, so we must look to Brussels for leadership. A Jürgen Klopp is needed to inspire, to emit optimism and belief. We also need an end to finger-pointing. Farmers will not be brought on board when they are being beaten down.

There is another fundamental truth that must be faced. Food is too cheap

Where will the money come from? Military spending is the obvious place. The 28 EU countries alone spend €192bn annually on weapons and armies – 1.55% of GDP. Investment in tackling the fundamental problems that threaten our existence is surely a better way of making us safer than building weaponry and walls.

There is another fundamental truth that must be faced. Food is too cheap.

In order to restore balance to food consumption, to reduce the need for scale in food production, and to encourage the minimisation of food waste, food needs to be more expensive.

This is not economic manipulation of reality, it is the adjustment of cheap food policies that mean food prices no longer reflect the true cost of production, either to the producer or the environment.