Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 October 2022
99. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide an update on the work underway to help farmers contribute to the national effort to reduce climate-based emissions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53323/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy may be aware, the agriculture sector was assigned a target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 25% by 2030 based on a 2018 baseline of 23MT CO2 eq. This reduction in emissions will contribute to the economy wide reduction of 51% by 2030.
This is an ambitous and challenging target but one that I believe our farm families are committed in reaching,
The Climate Action Plan 2021 set out the core and additional measures the sector will pursue to live within its assigned carbon budgets.
Earlier this year, I established two Food Vision groups - a dairy group and a beef and sheep group. The final report from the dairy group is imminent, with the beef and sheep group to conclude its work in the coming period. The reports will contain a series of recommendations to reduce agricultural greenhouse gases, building on the Climate Action Plan 2021 core and further measures.
The challenge now is to have these measures taken up at farm level, and this process is well underway. The Teagasc Signpost farm programme will play a key role in this objective. One of the key measures will be a reduction in chemical nitrogen use, and a change in the type of chemical nitrogen applied. Significant progress has been made in 2022 and this will be positively reflected in the 2022 inventory when published next year.
Other measures include a focus on animal breeding, reduced finishing times for our prime beef animals, and increased levels of organic production. Finally, new technologies, as is the case for all sectors of the economy, along with diversification opportunities such as through Anerobic Digestion will be needed in order to bridge the final gap-to-target.
I am confident also that with appropriate research supports, methane-reducing feed additives will be developed and rolled out on farms by 2030.
The next decade will be one of considerable change for Irish farms but there will be many opportunties too. I will continue to back and support our farm families along this journey.
