The need for research to develop farming methods which are both eco-friendly and economically viable is one of the main recommendations in a major report on eco-friendly farming published yesterday.
The report, compiled by the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, said it was important that the movement towards eco-friendly farming should not be construed as a return to the methods of an earlier age.
It said the research programmes of Teagasc and the universities, and the criteria which determine the allocation of other publicly funded research, should be examined to ensure this need was met.
The report recommended that Teagasc be requested to review its services to ensure it can address the need to reorientate farm practices to accommodate evolving environmental and animal welfare.
A controversial recommendation said that any further restrictions on the movement of farm animals which are scientifically justified should be accepted notwithstanding Ireland's economic interest in our ability to export live animals from an island location.
"Where such restrictions are proposed because of inadequate implications in some member-states of existing welfare measures, or where the proposed improvements could be achieved by means less restrictive to the movement of animals, then Ireland will have to make a strong case for less restrictive measures," it said.
On the vexed question of damage to water quality by farmers, the report said the Department's input into the issue was currently being dealt with as part of normal departmental business and relevant decisions would shortly be made by the Government.
Under the EU Nitrate Directive, corrective action is required where nitrate damage is occurring to ground water, either by designating the areas affected as nitrate vulnerable zones or by adopting a national action programme, it said.
It said that Ireland's commitment to reduce ammonia emissions under the Gothenburg Protocol required the movement from traditional to more environmentally friendly methods of spreading slurry.
"The extension of the accelerated rate of capital allowance for investment in farm pollution control facilities and environmental friendly organic manure spreading equipment should encourage farmers to help meet this commitment."
The report said that while responsibility for environmental issues directly affecting agriculture is vested in a number of government departments, acceptance of these responsibilities should not be seen as diminishing in any way the responsibilities of individual farmers and other agri-business operators towards the environment and animal welfare.
"DAFRD and other State departments should assist by providing the right policy and regulator frameworks and information, but the ultimate success will be decided on the ground by the action of farmers and related businesses," the report said.
Its review of the national programmes put in place to promote eco-friendly farming, the report said that the Rural Environment Protection Scheme had been in place since 1994 at a level far beyond minimal compliance with the EU requirement to operate such a scheme.
The Department had also allocated significant structural funding to anti-pollution measures and cross-compliance had been introduced for EU premium schemes.
The report did not comment on organic farming as a separate group has already reported on this aspect of farming.
