I am confident that the outlook for the Irish dairy industry remains very positive. The Irish dairy industry is one of our largest and most viable industries. Our livestock farmers and the dairy sector is already very sustainable but it is my aim to build a stronger and more sustainable future for farmers and the subsequent generations of farmers.
One of the standout aspects of Food Vision 2030 is that it has adopted a food systems approach. Food Vision aims for Ireland to be a world leader in sustainable food systems. This means that it will be profitable throughout (economic sustainability), have a positive or neutral impact on the natural environment (environmental sustainability), and have broad based benefits for society (social sustainability).
According to the CSO livestock survey, there were 1.511m dairy cows in December 2023, which was a marginal increase on the previous December. CSO statistics show that the total number of dairy cows in the country has increased every year for the last five years. There has also been continuous growth in the average dairy herd size since 2011, rising from 64 to 93 cows per milking herd currently. It should however be noted that increased production is driven by other factors as well as an increased herd, for example improved genetics.
I established the Food Vision Dairy Group in 2022 to advance the actions for the dairy sector identified in the Food Vision 2030 strategy, taking account of the requirement for the sector to contribute to achieving the targets set for agriculture emissions in the Climate Act process.
The first priority for the Group was to chart a pathway to achieving the legally binding target of a 25% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture by 2030, equivalent to a reduction of 5.75 MT of carbon dioxide equivalent.
The Dairy Group submitted their final report in October 2022, which has been published on my Department’s website. The report identified measures which could contribute to reducing emissions. The publication was timely as it then served to inform the Climate Action Plan 2023 which was launched in December 2022. My Department will work collaboratively with the other Departments and agencies involved to implement these priority actions.
There is no doubt that some livestock farmers will take up diversification options that are provided as part of our climate transformation including to areas such as Organics, Forestry, Tillage and the provision of feedstock for Anaerobic Digestion as we increase the production of renewables. However, given the efficiency gains that continue to be made at farm level, I remain confident that there is no risk to food security, even if some farmers choose to diversify.
Ireland is among the most food secure countries in the world and ranks second of 113 countries assessed for food security, according to the 2022 Global Food Security Index. Ireland is part of the EU single market and participates in the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP), which is the key mechanism for ensuring food security throughout Europe. Increased input costs in the food supply chain are inflating food prices currently. Therefore, while there is no food shortage, there is a food availability issue for those on lower incomes. The EU communication "Safeguarding food security and reinforcing the resilience of food systems” has set out actions in the three areas of security, stability, and sustainability.
Ireland also sees the European Food Security Crisis preparedness and response Mechanism (EFSCM) as having an important role in relation to considering and monitoring issues impacting on food security and affordability. In this context, the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council of Ministers will continue to focus on these core areas and to support the work of the EFSCM.
