FARM leaders in the west have hit out at campaigns in the national media and in some political circles to try and ‘demonise’ farmers in the debate on agricultural emission reductions.

According to western farm leaders, there was a real commitment by farmers across the country to play their part on the whole issue of climate change, but they had ‘to be supported and not castigated’.

A decision on the agriculture emissions reduction target for farmers between now and 2030 is expected to be taken at Cabinet this week with the crux of the issue now resting on the percentage cut – a range of between 22% and 30%.

While almost every TD and Senator across the country had been lobbied on the issue by the IFA and other farming organisations, it now seems likely that the ‘cuts percentage’ will now be a Cabinet decision.

Last Friday, Galway IFA Chairman, Stephen Canavan and IFA National Council Rep. John Finn met with Government Chief Whip, Jack Chambers (a Galway native) and Minister of State Anne Rabbitte in Caltra to discuss the proposed emissions cuts.

“I would have to say that we did get a fair hearing from Minister of State Anne Rabbitte and Chief Whip, Jack Chambers – they do understand where we’re coming from, and they do accept our willingness to play our part in the whole climate change agenda.

“But this is an agricultural agenda being driven by Minister Eamon Ryan and the Green Party and we need our rural TDs and Senators to take a stand on this issue.

“It also seems to me that the national media are hell bent on driving a rural-urban divide agenda in trying to demonise farmers who are more than willing to play their part in reducing emissions,” Stephen Canavan told the Farming Tribune.

He said that all ‘the good stuff’ farmers were doing in relation to emissions reductions such as low emission slurry spreading (LESS), the planting of trees and hedgerows, their role in wetlands, the use of protected urea, as well as the introduction of additives in feed and slurry, were not being factored into the whole equation.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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