Outgoing European Commissioner for Agriculture Phil Hogan has warned that if farmers don’t embrace the green agenda “we’re in trouble”.
He told the 2019 Agricultural Science Association (ASA) conference that farmers have to do more for climate and the environment. “If we miss our targets for 2020 and 2030, the pressure only goes up. To justify financial support, there will be conditionality attached.
“The conditionality will be on the environment and climate. That’s the political backdrop we’re dealing with and there is no escaping it,” he said.
The Commissioner highlighted how phosphorus emissions exploded in the Netherlands and how one of the government coalition partners there last week proposed a 50% reduction in livestock numbers. “That won’t happen [in Ireland], but it shows you the dramatic trend. We have to be careful here in Ireland and we have to engage better with each other… so we can develop a policy and a programme that will go towards meeting these objectives and not damage our industry,” he said.
Read more
Climate targets can be met without cutting cattle herd - Boyle
Irish beef sent to UK for processing – Bord Bia
‘Greatest embarrassment of all time’ if BEAM money is not drawn down
Outgoing European Commissioner for Agriculture Phil Hogan has warned that if farmers don’t embrace the green agenda “we’re in trouble”.
He told the 2019 Agricultural Science Association (ASA) conference that farmers have to do more for climate and the environment. “If we miss our targets for 2020 and 2030, the pressure only goes up. To justify financial support, there will be conditionality attached.
“The conditionality will be on the environment and climate. That’s the political backdrop we’re dealing with and there is no escaping it,” he said.
The Commissioner highlighted how phosphorus emissions exploded in the Netherlands and how one of the government coalition partners there last week proposed a 50% reduction in livestock numbers. “That won’t happen [in Ireland], but it shows you the dramatic trend. We have to be careful here in Ireland and we have to engage better with each other… so we can develop a policy and a programme that will go towards meeting these objectives and not damage our industry,” he said.
Read more
Climate targets can be met without cutting cattle herd - Boyle
Irish beef sent to UK for processing – Bord Bia
‘Greatest embarrassment of all time’ if BEAM money is not drawn down
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