The Department for Agriculture has said a report outlining a 200,000 reduction in dairy cows was a “modelling document”.
It was reported yesterday the cows would have to be “culled” at a cost of €600,000 to taxpayers over the next three years to meet climate emissions targets.
The Farming Independent said it got the figures in its report from an internal document through a freedom of information request.
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A spokesperson for the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine said: “The Paper referred to was part of a deliberative process – it is one of a number of modelling documents considered by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and is not a final policy decision.
“As part of the normal work of Government Departments, various options for policy implementation are regularly considered.”
Ireland’s Agriculture sector was directly responsible for 38% of national Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) emissions in 2021 according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
The State has around 2.5 million dairy and beef cows according to the provisional Irish June Livestock Survey published by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board.
Together beef and dairy account for around two thirds of the country’s agricultural output with around 90% of the produce exported.
Dairy cows rose 1.4% (22,800 head) to 1.6 million in 2022 but over the past decade have increased by around 40%.
Beef cows numbers, however, have fallen about 17% over the same period and saw another 2.9% (27,100 head) drop from 2021 to 913,000.
With farming emissions continuing to rise and a 25% emissions reduction target in the sector by 2030 the industry and leaders must come up with a plan to reduce the sector’s environmental impact.
A Food Vision Dairy Group report, published last October outlined an “urgent need to address the negative environmental impacts associated with dairy expansion”.
Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue subsequently announced proposals for a voluntary dairy reduction scheme, hoped to start next year.
The final payments for farmer who take part are yet to be decided but it has been suggested 0.45Mt of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions could be saved for every 100,000 dairy cows cut.
On the whole agriculture must reduce its emissions by a total 5.75Mt CO2 eq by the end of 2030.
Speaking about the latest reports on dairy herd reduction, a DAFM spokesperson added: “The Government is fully committed to the long-term viability of the Irish sector including our farm families who are the bedrock of the industry.
“It is a sector that is the jewel in the crown of our overall agri-food sector. We will ensure that the sector is put on a firm footing for this and subsequent generations.
“The dairy sector already displays huge sustainability credentials, and we are now stepping this ambition forward.
“Government is focused firmly fixed on providing voluntary, financially attractive options for farmers which includes diversification.”
Pat McCormack from the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association told Newstalk Breakfast “if there is to be a scheme, it needs to be a voluntary scheme”.
“That’s absolutely critical because there’s no point in culling numbers from an individual who has borrowed on the back of a huge financial commitment on the back of achieving a certain target that’s taken from under him.”
The IFA was contacted for comment.
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