Livestock numbers won’t be further cut because of emissions - Cregan

The news that the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is opposed to the reduction of Irish livestock numbers as a means of reducing emissions has been welcomed by County Limerick TD John Cregan. Speaking following an exchange with Minister for State, Sean Connick TD on this issue, Deputy Cregan said that his fears about a further stock reduction had been allayed and that this would be welcomed by the argi-food community in Ireland.

“How can the responsibility for dealing with the emissions issue be reconciled with the fact that there is an increasing demand for food throughout the world as there are up to 1 billion people who are hungry?” said Deputy Cregan. “We are making a substantial contribution in that regard in that we have a substantial live cattle export trade and the agri-food sector which, as the Minister of State stated correctly, is hugely important.”

“I realise we must strike a balance but I am inclined to come down in favour of positively discriminating in favour of the food sector and of continuing our stocking levels. Even the single farm payment, when we take away headage, has contributed to a decline in stocks. We should be working strongly towards ensuring that we can get the balance right and that we can support and, if possible, increase stock levels,” Deputy Cregan said.

His remarks were echoed by Minister Connick who said, “There are compelling environmental and economic reasons why reducing Irish livestock numbers as a means of achieving emissions reductions cannot be justified. In the first instance, such a policy would be counterproductive in terms of reducing global greenhouse gas emissions. Ireland is a leading exporter of beef and dairy produce and any shortfall of Irish produce, on EU or world markets, arising from a reduction in Irish livestock numbers would be replaced with produce from countries with far less sustainable farming systems than we have here and the replacement produce would have a far greater carbon footprint than the Irish product it displaces.”

“Our agriculture sector will continue to play a significant role in reducing national greenhouse gas emissions. Ireland’s national target under the Kyoto Protocol is to maintain emissions at a level 13% above 1990 levels, for the Kyoto commitment period 2008 to 2012. The latest projections from the EPA indicate that emissions from the agriculture sector will be, on average, 8.5% below 1990 levels over the commitment period.”

“Irish farmers have clearly demonstrated a willingness to embrace new technologies and farming methods that are friendly to the environment. Farmers will continue to adapt further, when new cost effective methods to reduce greenhouse gas emissions come on stream. In that context, I remain confident that dedicated research at national level and collaborative research at international level, including research into increasing the carbon sink potential of the sector, particularly the carbon sink potential of soils, will yield new effective, measurable and verifiable means to off-set greenhouse gas emissions from the sector.”

“The economic argument against such a proposal is also compelling. The Government’s view is that not alone is the agri-food sector our most important indigenous industry but the continued success of this industry will be a key element of our economic recovery. The significance of the agri-food sector to the overall well being of the economy cannot be overstated accounting, as it does, for 6.6% of the economy’s gross value added. Over 150,000 people, or some 7.5% of the total workforce, are directly employed in the industry. With a turnover of €24 billion in 2008, agri-food exports represented 10% of our total exports,” Minister Connick concluded.