The Galway Charolais Club, along with society vice-president, Christy Comerford, have submitted a proposal to the Department of Agriculture and Ag-climatise 2021 to 2030 and beyond.
The proposals, which contain an 85-slide presentation, as well as a detailed 12-page document, following a six-month research period.
Reasons
In a statement, they explained the reasons behind their research and submission.
“To help maintain and develop viable and profitable suckler herds going forward to 2030 and beyond.”
“To provide an opportunity for carbon-neutral suckler beef to become a recognised quality product worldwide.”
“To highlight the fact that Irish suckler farmers can work with and help develop a way to promote our special quality beef, while working within carbon neutral standards to 2030 and beyond.”
“Our proposals include recommendations for the necessary steps that will need to be addressed regarding, climate change, carbon emissions from the suckler beef sector, suckler beef prices, suckler beef branding and marketing as a premium product, rural Ireland sustainable, changing trends in people’s diets, carbon natural beef and producer groups. The next round of CAP payments.”
Listed below are the points the proposals are based around;
- Creating carbon-neutral farms with some advancing to A1 status;
- Honouring Ireland’s responsibilities and commitments on carbon emissions targets from the suckler beef industry;
- Providing the new CAP plan with a “golden opportunity” for the beef sector;
- Improving water quality;
- Reducing Ammonia levels;
- Improving animal welfare;
- Ensuring Ireland’s youth and their children will inherit a healthy countryside and environment;
- Copper fastening Ireland’s “green image worldwide”;
- Excelling carbon-neutral Irish suckler beef to a “new all-time high on learning world markets”;
- Protecting family farms and rural Irish life from “extinction” by ensuring a “viable” income;
- Demonstrating to and reassuring environmentalists that Carbon Neutral suckler beef is in “no way harmful” to the environment.
- A new initiative that will “re-energise” the suckler beef sector.
