“Absolute Madness”: Ireland Proposes Culling 200,000 Cows to Meet “Climate Goals”, Farmers Push Back

By Taylor Leach
Global Research, July 04, 2023
AgWeb 9 June 2023
Region:
Theme: ,
In-depth Report:

All Global Research articles can be read in 51 languages by activating the Translate Website button below the author’s name.

To receive Global Research’s Daily Newsletter (selected articles), click here.

Click the share button above to email/forward this article to your friends and colleagues. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter and subscribe to our Telegram Channel. Feel free to repost and share widely Global Research articles.

***

Countries across Europe are working to fulfill their commitment to shift to a climate-neutral economy. Under the European Green Deal, the climate neutrality objective becomes a legal commitment for the 27 agreeing countries to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by at least 55% by 2030. However, some countries are finding this goal might be harder to achieve than originally thought.

Recently, Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue told RTE Morning Ireland he has been looking into various ways to reduce methane emissions, including culling 200,000 cows over the next three years.

According to The Trumpet, the Irish government estimates the plan would cost the nation $640 million and assist the agricultural industry in reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 25% over the next seven years. The Telegraph, the national British newspaper, goes on to report the Irish Department of Agriculture would initiate a cull of 65,000 cows a year for three years, effectively reducing the national dairy herd by 10%. The proposal reportedly would be offered as a voluntary option to aging farmers as a “retirement exit scheme.”

“We’re the one industry with a significant road map, and, to be quite honest with you, our herd isn’t any larger than it was 25 to 30 years ago,” Pat McCormack, president of the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association, told The Telegraph. “Can the same be said for the transport industry, can the same be said for the aviation industry?”

Farmers, ag industry representatives and some politicians are in an uproar with one Irish politician describing the plan as “absolute madness,” according to MSN.

“Reports like this only serve to further fuel the view that the government is working behind the scenes to undermine our dairy and livestock sectors,” Tim Cullinan, president of the Irish Farmers’ Association, told The Telegraph. “While there may well be some farmers who wish to exit the sector, we should all be focusing on providing a pathway for the next generation to get into farming.”

The proposal’s announcement also caught the attention of Elon Musk, Tesla’s CEO.

“This really needs to stop. Killing some cows doesn’t matter for climate change,” he wrote in a recent tweet.

In response to the backlash, the Irish Department of Agriculture has since said reports were referring to a “modeling document” included in a “deliberative process,” but no final plans have been agreed upon, according to Yahoo Finance.

*

Note to readers: Please click the share button above. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter and subscribe to our Telegram Channel. Feel free to repost and share widely Global Research articles.
Articles by: Taylor Leach

Disclaimer: The contents of this article are of sole responsibility of the author(s). The Centre for Research on Globalization will not be responsible for any inaccurate or incorrect statement in this article. The Centre of Research on Globalization grants permission to cross-post Global Research articles on community internet sites as long the source and copyright are acknowledged together with a hyperlink to the original Global Research article. For publication of Global Research articles in print or other forms including commercial internet sites, contact: [email protected]

www.globalresearch.ca contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available to our readers under the provisions of "fair use" in an effort to advance a better understanding of political, economic and social issues. The material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving it for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material for purposes other than "fair use" you must request permission from the copyright owner.

For media inquiries: [email protected]