The recommendation to reduce chemical nitrogen (N) use in the dairy sector by 35% is not realistic, this is according to Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers’ Association (ICMSA) president Pat McCormack in reaction to the draft interim report issued by the Food Vision Dairy Group. Chaired by former director of Teagasc, Prof. Gerry Boyle, the group is tasked with examining ways for the sector to achieve targets for agriculture and land use in the Climate Action Plan 2021.
The document outlines 17 recommendations in the short, medium and long term and correspond with the three proposed carbon budget periods. Among the proposals are reducing chemical nitrogen (N) usage by 35% and ensuring all dairy farmers adopt low-emission slurry spreading (LESS) by the end of 2025. The document also states that a voluntary retirement or “exit scheme” should be considered for the dairy sector in the medium term.
The ICMSA president says that he was disappointed that the document, which will be discussed by the group on 11 April, had been made public. McCormack says that he was alarmed at the recommendation to reduce chemical nitrogen (N) usage by 35%. “Obviously, it’s a confidential forum but there were targets mentioned that were far more realistic than 35%. If you become over ambitious, you usually under-achieve,” the ICMSA president says.
McCormack says that, in a normal year, the recommendation “would be a significant development” but would come at a cost. The ICMSA president will be suggesting “practical changes” to the draft document when the group meets again next Monday.