Tip of the iceberg

Shannonsurfer101 · 13-12-2023 12:22am #1

Hi all,

Its been over 8 years since i last posted on the farming forum through an old account, but i have kept up to date on the several topics discussed throughout the years. it would be great to get the various views of the direction of farming within your own townlands and the challenges our profession are going to face in the next 15 years.

The title 'Tip of the iceberg' i personal felt summaries the fundamental shift for myself and the ppl involved in full time farming will have to undergo and you will ask why? This evening i completed Dairygolds Sustainability modules, marginally informative it was a waisted evening completing a box ticking exercise. Ironically one slide stood out, a Teagasc case study which implement all the best practice's to reduce Green House Gas's and only managed 14-16%. This is a long way off reaching the binding target of 25% for 2030. I'm a positive person, I'd like to see myself as a realist and the reality is 9 of 10 farmers will not come anywhere near these targets.

There is not a day that passes and the discussion of the environment is published in papers or spoken on radio. If collectively we are to meet this target it will cause mass dissolvement of full time farms, both big and small. As i said, I'm a positive person but our political electives have handed over the hard policy decisions to Europe and they are not going to relent on this reduction.

There is a wealth of experience from posters on the farming forum and if i could add a small bit it would be advice for farmers to have an open mind and explore your options to protect your income. I could be overblowing the topic but i personal think the only way we are to met 25% is to fall into line with the 170kg N thus reducing stocking rates. Personally i am below it, but really feel for farmers currently effected with the reduction to 220. As i said Europe will not stop there. In my townland alone policy's have already influenced the direction of family farms. part time farms now range from 80-140 acers, only 3 full time dairy farmers under 45. the 6 remaining are aging from 65-72, and finally the remaining drystock ppl are fairing no better in terms of age demography.

older by the day · 13-12-2023 2:12am

Shannonsurfer101, it nice to hear a new voice and your perspective. But to be honest most farmers are **** sick of talking about the changes and the constant bad mouthing we are getting. Moaning about the politicians is no good as the opposition are away worse than the bolloxes we have in.

It's hard to say what the future holds, more than likely a few dairy men milking 000s of cows in different locations. Trees in rough land and rewild some. Who knows. That's the one great thing about life, none of us knows what ahead of us.

funkey_monkey · 13-12-2023 2:41pm

That's the one great thing about life, none of us knows what ahead of us.

Would be nice to be able to shape our future instead of being driven down a particular route by people who have no regard for us.

Siamsa Sessions · 13-12-2023 3:43pm

15 years is a long time to be looking ahead, especially with the rate of change of technology and society at large.

When I did the green cert in 2018-19 the textbook said Ireland exported 70% of its beef and dairy produce. But people talk about 90% of what's produced here now being exported. The market for Irish food/drink is changing/growing and that will have a big impact on what we do here.

Irish society is changing too. It's probably changed more in the last 20 years than the previous 100. That's impacting farming at policy and labour levels, as are bigger tractors and machinery.

It goes without saying that removing quotas changed things.

Having said all that, I don't see too much changing in the farms around me in the next 2-3 years. Beyond that, you may as well read your horoscope.

Shannonsurfer101 · 14-12-2023 12:22am

What are the consequences if we cant plan past 2-3 years? How are we going to meet this climate action plan target?

funkey_monkey · 18-12-2023 11:24pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121493050#Comment_121493050

Do you think the targets are reasonable or in any way obtainable? Have weak or underperforming Agri Industry lobbyists been asleep at the wheel and put us in this position?

I think there have been a lot of factors at play - anti meat eaters, fossil fuel industry, etc have played a part, but none to the extent of our owninability to fight our own corner. Where and what are our lobbyists doing?

Say my name · 18-12-2023 11:31pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121512289#Comment_121512289

Dutch and New Zealand lobbyists were able to get their countries listed as sustainable countries for livestock rearing with the most optimum climate for livestock rearing in the world at the recent COP gathering. With the COP advising that no reduction in livestock numbers occur in these countries.

farawaygrass · 19-12-2023 8:33am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121512317#Comment_121512317

Is that a total backtrack by the Dutch so from the situation they were in earlier in the year with the talks of the government there buying some farms and relocating the farmers etc?

Say my name · 19-12-2023 10:41am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121512832#Comment_121512832

Not sure how/when/if it'll effect government policy.

Regenerative farmers had a presentation and COP, after worded that farming should be more Regenerative worldwide.

The intensive conventional ag lobbyists had backroom talks about still needing food production and having it concentrated is better than a spread out approach. And then COP put in the need for sustainable intensive agricultural production.

It was interesting that Charlie McConalogue was not included or abstained from the Dutch, New Zealand move.

Say my name · 19-12-2023 10:45am

The Green Party members in Ireland even admitted prior this COP meeting that agriculture was a total sideshow in the previous COP meetings. It was this one where they were finally putting the fossil fuel industries feet to the fire.

Mooooo · 19-12-2023 7:10pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121491246#Comment_121491246

When money is to be borrowed ove 15 years twud be nice to have some idea if the rug is gonna be pulled from under ya

amacca · 19-12-2023 8:04pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121512317#Comment_121512317

You must be joking....in that case our cows fart eco friendly rainbows and lollipops.

I would have thought Ireland would be optimal for livestock .(under certain conditions)

Say my name · 19-12-2023 8:23pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121515539#Comment_121515539

We've no lobbyists for livestock in this country. Dept of ag included.

roosterman71 · 23-12-2023 5:49pm

And the NDC got a wrap on the knuckles this week by the ADSI for saying “Irish dairy has the most greenhouse gas emissions-efficient production system certainly in Europe and possibly in the world"

They have no evidence to back this up and got pulled up on it.

Meanwhile, apart from the aforementioned NZ and Dutch, congress in Brazil have excluded agriculture emissions from their updated climate legislation. This will happen here too once FDI begins to nosedive and ag exports are what's keeping the ship afloat.

That's a bit of a rant and not really answering the OPs question. I don't think anyone can predict even 6 months, or maybe 6 weeks ahead. Who here predicted banding, slurry N content changes, calf movement restrictions, derogation cuts, etc, etc in the last few years all coming to pass so quick? While at the same time expansion was the name of the game. Even this week they were on about changing protein content in summer to bring N down, and changing the rate for calves. It's farming in the fog really

Tip of the iceberg

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