Joe Melody gives an insight into the damage caused by “climate justice warriors”.
The current reality of most farming sectors is positive and the future is bright. This is the reality if the only factors at play were supply and demand. However our well meaning friends who might describe themselves as climate justice warriors are upsetting the natural course of commerce. The key here is they use words such as climate and social to describe the justice they wish to bring about.
You may say that all those aspirations are fine and decent which they are but not to the exclusion of overall justice. What they do not realise or refuse to countenance is that for every action there is a consequence. If you reduce production of food stuff within Ireland, that vacuum will be filled and likely not as sustainably or ethically as it is here.
I came across the WHO and OECD reports on the future of food supply and demand over the next decade. The main takeaway point from the OECD was that the worldwide demand for two of this countries main products Dairy and Beef will increase significantly. Unfortunately thanks to our friends in Brussels and Dublin who frame policy and regulation, we as a trading block and we as a nation wont be the main beneficiaries of this extra demand.
As an example the report projected that big dairy producing countries like India and Pakistan will provide the extra production. These countries are almost absent of any regulation never mind sound environmental stewardship. Pakistan has nearly 4 times the emissions Ireland has per litre of milk. This is the result of asymmetrical global environmental policy.
All is not lost however as this is the future and our political leaders still have time to change course somewhat and allow Irish producers meet some of this demand in the sustainable way they have done for generations. I do have my concerns though that politically the tail (the Greens) is wagging the proverbial dog Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. The hard liners always tend to punch above their weight, add this to a media that are happy to facilitate a “climate justice” hysteria regardless of the unforeseen climate chaos it creates elsewhere.
Many FF and FG voters are farmers, there are elements in both parties that have adopted climate hysteria as some new fangled sense of identity. My strong sense is that for the modern politician the world of farming, business and the environment can seem complicated and perhaps the lack of business people in politics doesn’t help.
We are in the process of cutting the traditional hay meadows that are in the GLAS scheme. The much needed inclement weather had put a pause on making forage since the 1st of July. We don’t fertilise these meadows at all as they are stopped for a prolonged period due to the scheme and we also find these old meadows are easier saved as hay when organic. Preparations are reaching their crescendo for the arrival our hens. The whole project has been made all the more tricky with the shortages and price hikes of materials for the hen’s house. The fencing is going in next and we have plenty of wildlife so they need all the protection they can get.
