Let there be no mistake there are significant environmental changes coming to farming. It’s just a case of when and to what extent these changes will arrive and how much they will impact the sector.
The big issue for farmers will be the latter what the extent of new environmental measures will be and it seems that the new Ag Climatise roadmap, which we detail on pages 6-7, may only be a starting point.
The reaction this week to the plan has been interesting. Who’s supporting it, who’s not and who’s on the fence.
The reaction from environmentalist was particularly notable given the radical (for farmers) nature of the plan there was little in the way of support for it.
Ag Climatise roadmap a first step – Hackett - Farming Independent independent.ie - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from independent.ie Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Tough new measures to cut emissions on farms announced last week are only a first step, Green Minister Pippa Hackett told supporters last week.
In an emailed letter to Green Party members, sent the same day as the Department of Agriculture published its Ag Climatise roadmap to get the Agriculture Sector Carbon neutral by 2050, Hackett described the document as only “the first step towards achieving those reductions and you can be assured that the Green Party will continue to push for the stronger measures that are needed.”
She also drew attention to the fact that the ambition outlined in the plan is for a 15pc reduction in emissions overall by 2030. “It is important to note, upfront, that this is a less ambitious target than the 7pc per annum reduction across all sectors of society committed to in the Programme for Government. But the good news is that this is going to change.”