Mr. Brendan Gleeson:

What we have in Food Wise 2025 is a vision for the sector that was decided by industry and facilitated by the Government and the Department. The target is to increase the value of exports. There are several elements to that, including moving up the value chain and increasing production.

On the question of balancing the equation, the contribution that is made to the environmental discussion is underplayed significantly. What is remarkable about agriculture is that, since 1990, we have succeeded in reducing carbon emissions significantly at the same time as increasing the output dramatically. Therefore, farmers, the farming community and the agri-community generally have made a huge contribution in the climate debate. More has to be done. I do not believe one will find farmers disagreeing with that. There is absolutely no doubt but that it is a challenge. There will have to be a strong environmental and climate change component to the next Common Agricultural Policy.

In terms of what has been achieved through GLAS, examples include the conservation of some 280,000 hectares of permanent pasture, the protection of 16,000 km of watercourses, the preservation of 127,000 ha of habitat, the management of 120,000 ha of land in accordance with farmland bird actions, and 1,300 km of new hedges. These are achievements of farmers based on the scheme. We will need to do more. and we have targets now that we must meet. We have moved on a little bit. and it is important to acknowledge the contribution that farming and agriculture have made in combating climate change.

That is not to deny that more has to be done. As I said, farm bodies and farmers will not be found to be in any way resistant to the idea of making a contribution. It is important, however, that they are remunerated for that contribution. It must be recognised in any Common Agricultural Policy which we develop, because these things will not happen on their own. They require active management by farmers.