Mr. Paul Price:

In terms of what has happened in the last 15 years, I would point out that the removal of the milk quota was a really bad decision for climate and pollution, and it has been especially the case in Ireland. The top ten milk producing countries in the EU have increased milk production by 15%, on average, and that has increased emissions to some extent. To do so, they have fewer cattle than they had previously, say in 2010. All of the other countries - the lower producers - have kept their milk production about the same but have also reduced the number of cattle. Only Ireland is an extreme outlier in terms of increasing cattle numbers dramatically in order to increase milk production, by intensifying a grass-based system, which is one of the most inefficient systems one could possibly imagine. To put that at the centre of an agricultural system is a very bad idea for food security and has misled farmers. We have put farmers in a situation where this is the way to make money. Clearly it is good profits for big business but at the same time it is very shortsighted in terms of the long-term welfare of farming, farmers and food security in Ireland and globally.