Young farmers have already shown themselves to be industry leaders in the adoption of practices and technologies which reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture, according to Macra na Feirme.

The young farmers’ organisation added that supports must be provided for the next generation of farmers to ensure that young people, who are the most environmentally-friendly, enter the agricultural sector.

Sequestration

Macra has also stated that the recognition of agriculture’s potential to sequester carbon in the Climate Action Bill has laid the foundation for an important shift in the sector’s work on climate-related issues.

“Agriculture is uniquely placed to sequester and store carbon dioxide and policies must ensure that this sequestering and storage is attributed to farmers and agriculture” said Macra national president John Keane.

The recognition is set to allow carbon sequestrating farming activities to fully or partially offset emissions from the agricultural practices which release emissions.

Ireland’s potential

The organisation also called on the Government to support growth in the Irish agri-food.

This growth will be needed, Macra said, to fuel global population growth.

The group is urging policymakers to fully utilise the resources available on family farms to produce more food, as it stated that the efficiency of Irish farms made them the most sustainable in the world.