Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Let me be clear - Bord Bia is not funding climate disinformation.

It is a fact that Ireland has a comparative advantage in grass-based livestock production, and that Ireland’s carbon footprint per unit of milk produced is one of the lowest amongst milk-producing countries because of our grass-based system.

Irish dairy farmers have been on a sustainability journey for many years and are continuing to show leadership in meeting our climate ambitions.

Under the Origin Green programme, over 16,000, that is the vast majority of, Irish dairy farmers are members of Bord Bia’s Sustainable Dairy Assurance Scheme and are undertaking key, measurable sustainability actions on-farm.

Climate action is a priority across our country as a whole. Irish dairy farmers and the dairy industry are no less conscious than other sectors of society of the need to play their part in driving down emissions. The sector came together last year in the Food Vision Dairy Group with the first priority of the Group to chart a pathway to achieving the legally binding target of a 25% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture by 2030, set in mid-2022 through the Climate Act process.

The report of this Group published in late 2022, identified a number of measures which will contribute directly to emissions reductions associated with dairy production including reducing chemical fertiliser use; replacement of ammonium-based fertiliser with protected urea; development of methane-mitigating feed technologies and breeding strategies.

The Report was timely as it informed the Climate Action Plan for 2023. The Climate Action Plan measures for agriculture, land use and forestry include additional actions to support land use diversification through measures to support forestry, organic farming, tillage and anaerobic digestion.

Support measures in the €10 billion CAP Strategic Plan and the forthcoming new Forestry Programme, with funding of €1.3 billion, will support the implementation of these actions.

Our shared strategy for the sustainable development of the sector over the decade ahead, Food Vision 2030, includes a stretch ambition for Origin Green. and recognises the critical role it has to play in helping the Irish agri-food sector to demonstrate validated performance around producing food with a low environmental footprint.

Bord Bia, Teagasc and ICBF are currently working together to develop an online farmer portal called AgNav to deliver science led supports and planning tools with specific, accurate and verifiable data to assist farmers in delivering on climate action targets and support sustainable improvement.

Our dairy farmers and the entire sector is already very sustainable but I want to make us even more sustainable. I want to build a strong and sustainable future for our dairy farmers and subsequent generations of dairy farmers. I will work collectively and collaboratively with dairy farmers and their representatives in charting a pathway forward.