The agrifood sector is much more than the farming lobby

Your editorial (Irish Examiner) December 8 stated that even discussing the Irish agri-food industry in relation to global warming is ‘shameful’.

The same editorial states that ‘the farm lobby enjoys power ever more disproportionate to its contribution to society’.

Both of those statements are open to challenge.

The agri-food sector is wider than just the farm lobby and produces over 230,000 jobs.

It includes approximately 600 food and drinks firms throughout the country that export 85% of our food and seafood to more than 160 countries worldwide.

Those exports are worth 10n billion n euro or more to the citizens of this country.

If we are to curtail that industry in order to meet our global warming targets, as advocated by many non-agrifood lobbies, then the consequences in terms of the economics, the employment and the social infrastructure of many areas in this country need to be examined.

They should certainly not be dismissed in the way that your editorial did.

A. Leavy

Shielmartin Drive

Sutton

Dublin 13