Minister watching livestock numbers ‘very carefully’

McConalogue says methane from livestock  cannot increase

Environmental compliance costs cannot be transferred from expanding farmers to all farmers, warns McConalogue.

Methane from the livestock herd cannot increase over the next decade, as this would clearly increase global warming, said Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue this week.

“I will be watching livestock number trends very carefully and, as I indicated very recently at the IFA AGM, we are approaching the point where a mature discussion is needed to ensure environmental compliance costs are not transferred from expanding farmers to all farmers.”