The Irish Farmers Association is warning that 'Food Security' must be a key aspect of Irish Agricultural and Environmental Policy.
It has been announced that a 'burp tax' will be introduced in New Zealand - whereby sheep and cattle farmers there will have to pay a levy on livestock emissions.
In Ireland, caps on agricultural production to limit emissions are proposed instead.
Irish Farmers are warning that this quota, limiting food production, will make Ireland more reliant on imported food.
Speaking to RedFM News, Courtmacsherry farmer and chairman of Munster IFA, Harold Kingston says the EU is realising the importance of 'Food Security':
"The Irish proposal is effectively a quota system because of the fact that it's 'Cap And Trade' so it would cap your emissions, and you would have to buy emission rights in order to be able to continue to produce. The New Zealand one is more of a levy type system; the same as you're paying carbon tax on your fuel. This would be a carbon tax on the production of food. The current proposals in Europe all have built-in 'Reduction in Production' and there is a realisation now, belatedly, that actually Food Security is as important".
