EU’s lowest food carbon footprint
The huge research project took into account all on-farm greenhouse gas emissions (including the production of imported animal feed, mineral fertilisers, pesticides, and energy).
Irish milk has the joint lowest (with Austria) carbon footprint. Irish pork and chicken have the lowest carbon footprints in the EU. Irish beef is the fifth lowest, at 19 kg of carbon dioxide equivalent per kg, well below the EU average of 22.1kg.
Teagasc director of research Dr Frank O’Mara said Ireland is a great place to produce extra food because of the low carbon footprint, water availability, biodiversity and animal welfare standards.
He said food and marketing companies should use this to drive export growth, especially in affluent markets that put a premium on environmental and ethical standards.
The European research indicated that the carbon footprint of beef from Brazil is 80kg. Therefore, cutting Irish beef production and importing instead from Brazil could increase the carbon footprint four-fold.
Unfortunately, that outcome is possible, according to the section of the EU research that explored what could happen if EU policies explicitly force farmers in the EU to reach certain greenhouse gas emission reduction targets, in line with the EU plan to reduce emissions 20% by 2020 (compared to 2004).
One of the EU policies is to have a standard cut in agricultural emissions across all member states.
That would knock 26% off the EU beef cattle herd, including 36% in Ireland, 40% in Denmark, 38% in Spain.
It wouldn’t be all bad news for farmers, with the research indicating higher beef prices, and 68% higher incomes for cattle farmers.
Cutting the arable sector 5% would reduce EU cereal production 6.4%, and add 18.5% to tillage farmer incomes.
Dairy herds would fall by 4% on average, but 9% in the Netherlands and 7% in Poland.
If eastern EU countries are given a lighter load, emission reduction commitments could cut the Irish beef herd 47%.
Irish beef production would also be hit hard if the EU decides that tradable emission permits will be issued to farmers. But the worst outcome could come from a policy which was considered by the Irish Government — cow and sheep taxes.
Across the EU, herd sizes and farmer incomes would be drastically cut (assuming the tax is part of the cost of production and not re-distributed to the farmer). Ireland would lose 45% of its beef herd. EU imports would increase 49% for meat and 7% for dairy products, EU exports would fall 9%.
The largest EU livestock greenhouse gas emitters, in order, are France, Britain, Germany, Spain, Italy, and Ireland. Livestock as a proportion of agricultural output ranges from 28% in Greece to 69% in Ireland. So if it comes to a political battle over livestock and greenhouse gases, the EU’s heavy hitters have a lot to lose. And Ireland can fly the low carbon footprint flag, and the importance of livestock for our struggling economy.
Switching to Brazilian meat would defeat the purpose, New Zealand has limited potential to expand. So Irish farmers need not fear being made scapegoats for saving the planet, because the research also revealed that cutting greenhouse gases from EU livestock leaves scope for increased farm incomes.
