Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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694. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which he continues to liaise with producers in the beef and dairy sectors with a view to ensuring viability in the short term and continued prospects in the future in national and international markets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8191/20]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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My officials and I have ongoing contact with all the key stakeholders across both the beef and dairy sectors. More than ever in the ongoing response to the Covid-19 pandemic, I am aware of this need for ongoing contact as the situation has evolved. My Department and I are working to ensure that business and services to farmers can continue, keeping food and other processing facilities operational, ensuring that payments and commercial activities that are necessary to protect farm incomes can continue.

There are likely to be significant economic impacts for the agri-food sector, arising from reduced demand in key markets around the world. The loss of high value food service customers is already of significant immediate concern.

The response to the economic impacts on the sector should include a strong, shared EU response, using the instruments available in the Common Agricultural Policy. I have already highlighted to Commissioner Wojciechowski the serious consequences for farmers and the food industry and the need to ensure that the full range of market supports available under the Common Market Organisation Regulation are made available. These supports include Aids to Private Storage and Exceptional Aid measures, flexibilities when it comes to on-farm inspections and early payment of the Basic Payment Scheme.

Following Ireland’s efforts in leading an agreed EU-27 statement on the need for further supports, the Commission have introduced Aids to Private Storage for Dairy (SMP, Butter, Cheese), Beef and Sheepmeat. Private Storage Aid (PSA) is a risk management tool/safety net available to EU producers of certain agricultural products under the CMO regulation (1308/2013). The aim is to facilitate producers to store the product for a stipulated temporary storage period.

I am also working with my colleagues in Government to ensure that all businesses, including those in the agri-food sector, get access to suitable supports, and the measures in place are being kept under review.

My Department and agencies will continue to monitor the impacts on the agri-food sector as the situation evolves, and to provide appropriate supports to the sector. Senior officials from my Department remain in constant contact with stakeholders right across the meat and dairy sectors to share information on emerging issues and contingency planning, and we will continue to develop appropriate supports as the situation evolves.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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695. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which he expects to be in a position to enhance the prospects of the beef and dairy sectors in the future while at the same time complying with carbon reduction targets without damaging the industry and its food production capacity at a time of worldwide concerns regarding food security and availability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8192/20]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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While Ireland is internationally recognised as having one of the most carbon efficient systems of dairy and beef production in the EU, there is huge variability in carbon efficiency within the country. The Teagasc Sustainability Survey shows that the top performing third of farms emitted, on average, 9.6 kg CO2 equivalent per kg beef, compared with 14.9 kg for the bottom performing third of cattle farms. Reducing this variability is a real opportunity to make progress in reducing emissions from cattle production in Ireland with positive economic dividend on the farms concerned. Schemes such as the Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP) and Beef Environmental Efficiency Programme-Sucklers (BEEP-S) are focused on improving the carbon efficiency of the beef herd.

My Department is progressing a draft roadmap called ‘Agclimatise’ which aims to translate the targets in the National Climate Action Plan into more detailed actions with clear performance indicators. Actions proposed for the agricultural sector include: enhancing soil fertility and nutrient efficiency, promoting the use of protected nitrogen products, developing enhanced dairy and breeding programmes and developing a charter with animal feed manufacturers on the crude protein content of livestock. The pathway to delivery is challenging, and will require greater collaboration between farmers, industry, Government and other stakeholders to deliver on-farm impacts.

I am confident that the agriculture sector as a whole will contribute significantly to achieving Ireland’s climate targets and its transition to a low-carbon, climate-resilient economy and society, with collaboration, co-operation and collective responsibility being key in achieving this ambition.