Farming & Climate Summit

Farmers are facing huge challenges from various climate related proposals from the EU and the Irish Government.

IFA held a Farming and Climate Summit on Tuesday, January 10th 2023, to update farmers and hear views on the challenges facing the sector associated with climate change.

Read the IFA Thomond Park Declaration here

Video Recordings of the Sessions

Session 1: Irish Agriculture and the Challenges Ahead

Moderator – IFA Senior Policy Executive, Geraldine O’Sullivan

Presentation by Ciaran Fitzgerald, Food Economist – The Importance of Agriculture to the Irish Economy

Panel discussion with Ciaran Fitzgerald, Deirdre Ryan, Director, Sustainability and Quality Assurance, Bord Bia Liam MacHale, IFA Director of European Affairs, IFA Brussels Office

Session 2: Irish Agriculture – The Scientific Debate

Moderator – Mary Delaney, Nuffield Scholar and Board Member

Presentations by Laurence Shalloo, Head of Animal & Grassland Research & Innovation, Teagasc Tadhg Buckley, IFA Director of Policy

Followed by panel discussion with presenters and Professor Peter Thorne, Climatologist, National University of Ireland, Maynooth Mary Frances Rochford, Program Manager, Climate Change, EPA Bill Callanan, Chief Inspector, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Session 3: Policy Challenges at National & European Level

Moderator – Jack Kennedy, Interim Editor, Irish Farmers Journal

Keynote Address from Charlie McConalogue, TD Minister for Agriculture, Food & the Marine

Followed by a panel discussion with: Charlie McConalogue, TD Minister for Agriculture, Food & the Marine Frank O’Mara, Director of Teagasc Thia Hennessy, Head of Department of Food Business and Development, UCC Paul O’Brien, Chair of IFA Environment & Rural Affairs Committee Closing Remarks IFA President Tim Cullinan


Presentations

Click on the ‘expand’ icon in the bottom right of the slide deck containers below to view the presentations in full screen.

Irish Economy Relevance of Agriculture

Ciaran Fitzgerald, Food Economist

Climate Action Plan and Other Policy Proposals

Tadhg Buckley, IFA Director of Policy/Chief Economist

Improving the Sustainability of Livestock Systems in Ireland

Laurence Shalloo, Head of Animal & Grassland Research & Innovation, Teagasc


Agenda

Welcome Address
IFA President Tim Cullinan
Session 1: Irish Agriculture and the Challenges Ahead
Moderator – IFASenior Policy Executive, Geraldine O’Sullivan

Presentation by:
Ciaran Fitzgerald, Food Economist – The Importance of Agriculture to the Irish Economy

Followed by panel discussion with presenter and:
Deirdre Ryan, Director, Sustainability and Quality Assurance, Bord Bia
Liam MacHale, IFA Director of European Affairs, IFA Brussels Office
Session 2: Irish Agriculture – The Scientific Debate
Moderator – Mary Delaney, Nuffield Scholar and Board Member

Presentations by:
Laurence Shalloo, Head of Animal & Grassland Research & Innovation, Teagasc
Tadhg Buckley, IFA Director of Policy

Followed by panel discussion with presenters and:
Professor Peter Thorne, Climatologist, National University of Ireland, Maynooth Mary Frances Rochford, Program Manager, Climate Change, EPA
Bill Callanan, Chief Inspector, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Session 3: Policy Challenges at National & European Level
Moderator – Jack Kennedy, Interim Editor, Irish Farmers Journal

Keynote Address
Charlie McConalogue TD Minister for Agriculture, Food & the Marine

Followed by panel discussion with:
Charlie McConalogue TD Minister for Agriculture, Food & the Marine
Frank O’Mara, Director of Teagasc
Thia Hennessy, Head of Department of Food Business and Development, UCC
Paul O’Brien, Chair of IFA Environment & Rural Affairs Committee
Closing Remarks
IFA President Tim Cullinan