February 22, 2022

 

Northern Ireland's beef industry rocked by climate change legislation, livestock commission official says

 

  

Northern Ireland's beef industry is in a state of deep shock, according to the Livestock and Meat Commission (LMC).

 

This follows the recent vote taken by Stormont Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs), which could see the introduction of climate change legislation that compels Northern Ireland to reach a carbon net zero position by 2050.

 

LMC chief executive Ian Stevenson explained: "In essence, many of our local politicians have turned their backs on all of the independent scientific advice that was made available to them prior to the vote being taken.

 

"Members of the UK's Committee on Climate Change had previously pointed out that it was not feasible for Northern Ireland to set a net zero carbon position for the region. Nor was such a stance required in the context of a climate change net zero target that had already been set for the UK as a whole.

 

"Those MLAs who supported the net zero position were also fully aware of the dramatic impact such a policy would inflict on Northern Ireland's livestock sectors and rural areas prior to them voting. And it is this fact, more than any other, that has deeply dismayed farmers and processors.

 

"We are also seeing a ripple effect, which is impacting on all those other stakeholder groups that interface with cattle and sheep production."

 

Stevenson confirmed that the recent Stormont decision will have an almost immediate effect on investment decisions taken within the beef and sheep sector.

 

He said: "If this legislation is passed, processors will be left with no option but to factor in how livestock numbers and raw material supply will be affected during the years ahead. Their businesses are totally dependent on animal throughputs, when it comes to determining their viability and future sustainability.

 

"Livestock farmers, too, will be sitting down right now to work out their futures within the industry. And the key question they will be asking is – can cattle and sheep production deliver a sustainable future for the next generation?"

 

Stevenson added that farmers involved in beef and sheep productions are working within small enough margins most of the time.

 

"If they come to the conclusion that climate change legislation offers no protection to the future of the agri-food sector in Northern Ireland, many may well say that enough is enough," Stevenson said. "They will stop investing in their farms. And we may well see evidence of this happening, sooner rather than later."

 

- Agriland