IFA will not support the “cap and trade” model for emissions proposed in the Dairy Food Vision Group interim report. The organisation’s president Tim Cullinan called the “Cap and trade” model “a quota by another name, which IFA is completely opposed to. We are also opposed to the proposal to force farmers to cut inorganic fertiliser use by 22% to 25% by 2025, and by 30% by 2030.”
The current target, set out by the Minister in AgClimatise and included in the overall Food Vision report, is to reduce inorganic fertiliser use by 20% by 2030. “This is already a challenging target and we will not support any further tightening of this,” he said.
However, the IFA was willing to engage on the proposed cow exit/reduction scheme, as long as it would be 100% publicly funded; will not lead to restrictions on any farmer who does not sign up to the scheme; and that other farming sectors are fully consulted.
Cullinan said the organisation would support the other 14 recommendations in the report, which were consistent with IFA’s overall policy of reducing emissions per unit of output.
“Irish farmers are playing our part on climate action but we must have evidence-based policymaking. There must be full economic and social impact assessment of any proposed measures; a full calculation of potential carbon leakage; and full measurement of on-farm carbon removals,” he said.