Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent)
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I thank Dr. Schulte for his presentation. It is a big subject and it would probably take more study than an afternoon meeting to try to come up with some reasonable questions in response.

Are the goals of Food Harvest 2020 and the various environmental policies with which we must comply mutually exclusive? Is it possible to satisfy all of them through correct land usage? Dr. Schulte has said measures in the water framework directive need to be assessed for cost-effectiveness. Does that mean that we need to decide it is too expensive and that we should not do it and justify this, or what does it mean?

In respect of carbon sequestration in agriculture, we hear a lot about the amount of methane cattle produce, but can it be measured against how much is absorbed by growing grass? How will this be achieved in the future?

Dr. Schulte has said soft incentivisation is preferable. Are there studies of how effective that has been under the CAP and how was it achieved? Does he foresee farming practices being officially restricted based on soil type in an area, for example, it might be desirable to allow intensive or resource-efficient farming on soil that can manage it and restrict it on other soils, rather than allowing the market to decide?