Mr. James Nix:

I refer to our artisan producers such as Ballymaloe, Cashel Blue, Glenisk and Glen Ilen, which have become household names because they are adding value rather than adding volume. Food Harvest 2020 includes a 50% increase in milk output so that is a volume-based target rather than a value-based target. Because it is a volume-based target, there is not an obvious rise in the family income of farm families because it is purely a volume target. The consequences include hundreds of thousands of additional cows which must be fed over the winter and perhaps into a prolonged spring period such as this year. Suddenly, by focusing on volume rather than value, there arises a significant level of tension, not least of which is environmental. Another tension is the conversion of tillage land to dairy. The immediate consequence is an increase in imports because there is less barley, wheat and oats being produced domestically. Transport emissions will also be increased because instead of domestic production of tillage, imports will be necessary.

There was no strategic environmental assessment of Food Harvest 2020. It is coming, belatedly, so there is still time to refocus the Food Harvest 2020 document. An Taisce suggests that it should be refocused around adding value which would also create greater national income, additional job creation, improved environmental protection, more assured animal health - considering what happened this spring - and better long-term self-sufficiency. That document needs to be refocused and that should happen sooner rather than later.