Proposed schemes to destock the suckler herd put forward by the Food Vision beef and sheep group have not been ruled out from the Government’s climate action plan for 2023, expected next week.

While Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue acknowledged that “farm organisations and the meat factories have all been adamant and united in the fact that they don’t wish to see a voluntary [suckler] reduction scheme”, he could not say whether such a measure is on or off the table.

The minister again told the Irish Farmers Journal on Wednesday that he is considering the “various options and proposals” put forward by the beef and sheep group and its counterpart, the Food Vision dairy group.

“I’m considering all of the aspects from both committees with a view to putting together a climate action plan that can help get us to that 25%,” he told the Irish Farmers Journal.

However, this withstanding, Minister McConalogue noted that farm organisations and meat processors have made their views “clear” on any potential cow cull.

‘Not agreed’

Speaking on Wednesday, IFA president Tim Cullinan highlighted that the Food Vision group reports “were not agreed by IFA or any other farming group”.

“There is a real danger that the minister and the Government are going to do real damage to our sector to meet a short-term [emissions] target,” he said.