New environmental era of farming. Are you playing your part?

Water John · 05-06-2019 10:32am

Did you vote Green?
https://www.thejournal.ie/readme/opinion-farmers-should-support-the-green-party-and-secretly-some-of-them-probably-do-4667297-Jun2019/

I did. Know sometimes flawed in their thinking, but willing to step up to the plate.
How we vote may be part of having some control of farming direction.

Panch18 · 05-06-2019 12:15pm

Water John wrote: »

Did you vote Green?
https://www.thejournal.ie/readme/opinion-farmers-should-support-the-green-party-and-secretly-some-of-them-probably-do-4667297-Jun2019/

I did. Know sometimes flawed in their thinking, but willing to step up to the plate.
How we vote may be part of having some control of farming direction.

sometimes flawed or fundamentally flawed?

I bought my diesel car back in 2008 when the Green Party pushed through motor tax reforms so that evil petrol cars were at a motor tax disadvantage relative to diesel cars - to make diesel cars more popular. the outcome of this policy which was very successful i might add as diesel car sales soared

That same car i bought in 2008 is still going strong but in the next couple of years i won't be able to drive it through Paris or some of the other major European cities - because its a dirty diesel car

So in the space of a cars lifetime it has gone from planet saviour to a dirty diesel.

The problem with alot of "green" policy is that it actually only short term-ism - as soon as a different scientist says something completely different then the "green" policy changes completely

Say my name · 05-06-2019 12:36pm

Water John wrote: »

Did you vote Green?
https://www.thejournal.ie/readme/opinion-farmers-should-support-the-green-party-and-secretly-some-of-them-probably-do-4667297-Jun2019/

I did. Know sometimes flawed in their thinking, but willing to step up to the plate.
How we vote may be part of having some control of farming direction.

How we become part of the Green party and influence policy and p1ss out of the tent rather than leave it to urbanites to decide policy and just p1ss against the outside of the closed tent, more like? To put it in plain language.

They're going to be a force now like it or not with the increased affluence of society and environmental education of younger society.

I didn't give them my number one vote but as a party my number two.

Still waters · 05-06-2019 1:11pm

Panch18 wrote: »

sometimes flawed or fundamentally flawed?

I bought my diesel car back in 2008 when the Green Party pushed through motor tax reforms so that evil petrol cars were at a motor tax disadvantage relative to diesel cars - to make diesel cars more popular. the outcome of this policy which was very successful i might add as diesel car sales soared

That same car i bought in 2008 is still going strong but in the next couple of years i won't be able to drive it through Paris or some of the other major European cities - because its a dirty diesel car

So in the space of a cars lifetime it has gone from planet saviour to a dirty diesel.

The problem with alot of "green" policy is that it actually only short term-ism - as soon as a different scientist says something completely different then the "green" policy changes completely

No offense but that is group think similar to what youd see on Facebook, I'm not getting at you but the the logic behind blaming green party's for these measures is flawed in itself. Not forgetting they were also in government with fianna fail. Recent scandals by VW have shown the car industry to be dishonest, and the government in Ireland take their lead off Europe

Farmers need to get involved with green party policies because it's the hot topic right now and old right/left wing parties are being left behind, theres no use farmers complaining if the dont get involved and waiting for the next election with their fingers crossed hoping for a return of the old guard

Farmers can lead the way in this by getting involved, I've seen some lads on Facebook talking about the harm flying can do,, that's bollox in my opinion, a man can only look after what's inside his own gate and the thinking of "sur what harm am I doing when theres planes doing worse above in the sky" is infantile thinking, we can all make a change, it's simply a matter of small changes here and there and if every farmer did it then it all adds up in the end

Buford T. Justice XIX · 05-06-2019 1:30pm

Still waters wrote: »

No offense but that is group think similar to what youd see on Facebook, I'm not getting at you but the the logic behind blaming green party's for these measures is flawed in itself. Not forgetting they were also in government with fianna fail. Recent scandals by VW have shown the car industry to be dishonest, and the government in Ireland take their lead off Europe

Farmers need to get involved with green party policies because it's the hot topic right now and old right/left wing parties are being left behind, theres no use farmers complaining if the dont get involved and waiting for the next election with their fingers crossed hoping for a return of the old guard

Farmers can lead the way in this by getting involved, I've seen some lads on Facebook talking about the harm flying can do,, that's bollox in my opinion, a man can only look after what's inside his own gate and the thinking of "sur what harm am I doing when theres planes doing worse above in the sky" is infantile thinking, we can all make a change, it's simply a matter of small changes here and there and if every farmer did it then it all adds up in the end

I doubt it. Leaving the vegan influenced attacks on methane aside, the levels of CO2 in the atmosphere are at levels where only fundamental change is going to make any difference.

Even if we can stop all carbon additions to the atmosphere today, it'll take years to start to reverse the CO2 levels already there and then you'll have CO2 levels starting to be pulled out of the worlds oceans to balance the reductions in the atmosphere.

Basically, I reckon we're screwed and the actions being favoured atm are just rearranging deckchairs on the Titanic. It'll make no discernible difference to the outcome until oil, coal and gas uses are cut by over 50% or more.

Still waters · 05-06-2019 1:31pm

Buford T. Justice VI wrote: »

I doubt it. Leaving the vegan influenced attacks on methane aside, the levels of CO2 in the atmosphere are at levels where only fundamental change is going to make any difference.

Even if we can stop all carbon additions to the atmosphere today, it'll take years to start to reverse the CO2 levels already there and then you'll have CO2 levels starting to be pulled out of the worlds oceans to balance the reductions in the atmosphere.

Basically, I reckon we're screwed and the actions being favoured atm are just rearranging deckchairs on the Titanic. It'll make no discernible difference to the outcome until oil, coal and gas uses are cut by over 50% or more.

Sad to say you're probably right

Panch18 · 05-06-2019 1:49pm

Still waters wrote: »

No offense but that is group think similar to what youd see on Facebook, I'm not getting at you but the the logic behind blaming green party's for these measures is flawed in itself. Not forgetting they were also in government with fianna fail. Recent scandals by VW have shown the car industry to be dishonest, and the government in Ireland take their lead off Europe

Farmers need to get involved with green party policies because it's the hot topic right now and old right/left wing parties are being left behind, theres no use farmers complaining if the dont get involved and waiting for the next election with their fingers crossed hoping for a return of the old guard

Farmers can lead the way in this by getting involved, I've seen some lads on Facebook talking about the harm flying can do,, that's bollox in my opinion, a man can only look after what's inside his own gate and the thinking of "sur what harm am I doing when theres planes doing worse above in the sky" is infantile thinking, we can all make a change, it's simply a matter of small changes here and there and if every farmer did it then it all adds up in the end

Look the policy that the Green party introduced on cars in 2008 was fundamentally flawed - that is now proven to be a fact, whether you like or not.

So now Greens want to ban diesel cars in certain cities - not 10 years ago they pursued policy that promoted diesel cars

This merely highlights that they can flip flop with the best of politicians. Whatever is en vogue at the time.

The thing is thats not how the environment works - whether the greens know it or not

Capercaillie · 05-06-2019 1:54pm

Biodiversity crisis in Ireland. Agriculture is a major problem, but virtually every sector in Country at fault as well. Untreated sewage going into rivers, County Council/NRA obliterating road side hedges. New housing destroying habitats.

uck51js9zml2yt · 05-06-2019 1:58pm

Still waters wrote: »

No

Farmers need to get involved with green party policies because it's the hot topic right now and old right/left wing parties are being left behind, theres no use farmers complaining if the dont get involved and waiting for the next election with their fingers crossed hoping for a return of the old guard

Throwing the Christians to the lions was in vogue as well not that long ago.

Granted we need to look after the earth but the so called environmentalists and save the earth campaigners on about global warming forget the main cause of the Antarctic glaciers melting. ...90+ active volcanoes underneath them.

It also now looks like the ozone over Australia is healing itself. By any chance is it cyclical??

Call me sceptic about global warming.

_Brian · 05-06-2019 2:14pm

Dante Tangy Wisecrack wrote: »

Throwing the Christians to the lions was in vogue as well not that long ago.

Granted we need to look after the earth but the so called environmentalists and save the earth campaigners on about global warming forget the main cause of the Antarctic glaciers melting. ...90+ active volcanoes underneath them.

It also now looks like the ozone over Australia is healing itself. By any chance is it cyclical??

Call me sceptic about global warming.

Don’t think anyone denies there is annatural cycle to how the earth regulates itself, there plenty of evidence that is the case.

What is concerning is the additional change driven by man made factors, that’s again a proven fact, over and over.

Both added together seem to be pushing a runaway warming effect.

We can’t influence the natural cycle.

But we can effect our effect on the climate. That’s the key here, we should be doing what we can to mitigate our effects.

I’m not saying we need to go back to neolithic era living but we need to identify areas that we can modify while supporting a developing civilisation.

Food production is definitely one area, but so are transportation and energy production. Best case we will reduce our effects on the planet and let it find a balance, worst case we will have less effect on the planet, it’s kinda a no brainier, there is no loose out here.

Water John · 05-06-2019 8:53pm

Most countries are committing to being carbon neutral by 2050. Finland has declared 2035, that is 16 years time as their net zero carbon date.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jun/04/finland-pledges-to-become-carbon-neutral-by-2035

Farmers should aim to get ahead of the curve and thus influence the regulations that come their way. The IFA organising meetings to try and extend the nitrates derogation, is not the way to go. Reminds me of the IFA under Paddy Lane fighting tooth and nail not to be subject to income tax.

wrangler · 05-06-2019 10:25pm

Water John wrote: »

Most countries are committing to being carbon neutral by 2050. Finland has declared 2035, that is 16 years time as their net zero carbon date.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jun/04/finland-pledges-to-become-carbon-neutral-by-2035

Farmers should aim to get ahead of the curve and thus influence the regulations that come their way. The IFA organising meetings to try and extend the nitrates derogation, is not the way to go. Reminds me of the IFA under Paddy Lane fighting tooth and nail not to be subject to income tax.

No point in being a fool, the general public aren't going to support the climate change effort.
Kids protesting about it, but I don't see too many cycling to school or football practise, I'm sure the post leaving celebration won't be in westport either...it'll be straight to the airport.
Recycling in this country must mean throwing rubbish out the car window.
I'm old enough for it not to worry me but there's not too many others bothered either

Water John · 05-06-2019 10:34pm

Really not going to engage on this, Wrangler.
Was at a farm walk today (thanks to the Condon family), Teagasc expert said ryegras/clover mixes can produce close on 90% of the yield of grasses with artificial fertiliser.
I know it requires a different and higher level of management. Also a lower stocking rate as the growth can vary over the year and from year to year.
The question is would a farmer chose to change to this option? I suggest yes with encouragement as further down the road, a farmer probably won't be offered the choice.

Birdnuts · 05-06-2019 10:37pm

Dante Tangy Wisecrack wrote: »

Throwing the Christians to the lions was in vogue as well not that long ago.

Granted we need to look after the earth but the so called environmentalists and save the earth campaigners on about global warming forget the main cause of the Antarctic glaciers melting. ...90+ active volcanoes underneath them.

It also now looks like the ozone over Australia is healing itself. By any chance is it cyclical??

Call me sceptic about global warming.

The following links won't help your sceptism

https://phys.org/news/2014-08-puzzle-rapid-climate-ice-age.html

https://www.thenewamerican.com/tech/environment/item/20610-computer-models-vs-climate-reality

I've said it before on this forum that I would place "climate change" whether natural or otherwise well down the list of current extinction drivers.

Water John · 05-06-2019 10:43pm

This might persuade you otherwise.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jun/04/latest-data-shows-steep-rises-in-co2-for-seventh-year

CO2 levels climbing to 420ppm.

Birdnuts · 05-06-2019 10:52pm

Water John wrote: »

This might persuade you otherwise.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jun/04/latest-data-shows-steep-rises-in-co2-for-seventh-year

CO2 levels climbing to 420ppm.

The problem is that the earths temp sensitivity to CO2 appears to have been grossly overestimated by so called climate modellers. Especcially if you read my first link above concerning rapid natural climate changes in the space of only a few decades during a number of interglacial events 100k years ago.

Robson99 · 05-06-2019 11:04pm

There are a lot more sectors world wide that need looking at rather than the tiny effect agriculture in a small country like Ireland is causing
A load of tosh IMO

wrangler · 05-06-2019 11:06pm

Water John wrote: »

Really not going to engage on this, Wrangler.
Was at a farm walk today (thanks to the Condon family), Teagasc expert said ryegras/clover mixes can produce close on 90% of the yield of grasses with artificial fertiliser.
I know it requires a different and higher level of management. Also a lower stocking rate as the growth can vary over the year and from year to year.
The question is would a farmer chose to change to this option? I suggest yes with encouragement as further down the road, a farmer probably won't be offered the choice.

I've seen very few well managed farms where clover is any good, apart from an organic farm
Waste of time here throwing out clover seed on this farm, sward is too thick to let it survive.

80sDiesel · 06-06-2019 2:32pm

Yellow (Hay) rattle. Also known as meadow maker. It opens up the meadow( semi parasitic) so it encourages more wildflowers and native grasses.

dmakc · 06-06-2019 4:28pm

http://www.epa.ie/newsandevents/news/name,66063,en.html

Making a few bad headlines today - main take is being agri being the worst emittor. I wasn't aware of this or is it because we have more agriculture in our country than energy industries?

Water John · 06-06-2019 5:15pm

Similar to New Zealand, we have a big agricultural output and animals relative to the size of the human population.
So
'Agriculture and transport are projected to be the two biggest causes of emissions in 2030, the report finds, accounting for 80% of all emissions in 2030.'

' Ireland’s agriculture industry will remain one of the main producers of emissions, according to the projections. The EPA predicts that agriculture emissions will grow steadily until 2030 as the size of the dairy herd increases. In 2030, the report states, agriculture will account for 38% of emissions. Even if currently proposed policies are implemented, emissions will increase by 3% from current levels by 2030.'
https://www.thejournal.ie/greenhouse-gas-emissions-ireland-carbon-4670512-Jun2019/

We can see the way this is going. We are going to miss our 2020 targets by a whopping 14%.
'The EU target of a 20% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 from 2005 levels is also likely to be missed. The report finds that Irish emissions might only be 6% below 2005 levels in 2020.'

Unless somebody here is suggesting we also leave the EU, it's a failure we have to deal with.

Ubbquittious · 06-06-2019 6:21pm

Water John wrote: »

Similar to New Zealand, we have a big agricultural output and animals relative to the size of the human population.
So
'Agriculture and transport are projected to be the two biggest causes of emissions in 2030, the report finds, accounting for 80% of all emissions in 2030.'

' Ireland’s agriculture industry will remain one of the main producers of emissions, according to the projections. The EPA predicts that agriculture emissions will grow steadily until 2030 as the size of the dairy herd increases. In 2030, the report states, agriculture will account for 38% of emissions. Even if currently proposed policies are implemented, emissions will increase by 3% from current levels by 2030.'
https://www.thejournal.ie/greenhouse-gas-emissions-ireland-carbon-4670512-Jun2019/

We can see the way this is going. We are going to miss our 2020 targets by a whopping 14%.
'The EU target of a 20% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 from 2005 levels is also likely to be missed. The report finds that Irish emissions might only be 6% below 2005 levels in 2020.'

Unless somebody here is suggesting we also leave the EU, it's a failure we have to deal with.

Might be no bad idea to leave in the long term. Not much will for it at the minute given the hash the other crowd are making of it but as the EU tightens its grip and lands us with more fines there will be less reason to stay.

Even if we get rid of dairy farming in Ireland some other countries will increase their output to compensate.

_Brian · 06-06-2019 7:56pm

Ubbquittious wrote: »

Might be no bad idea to leave in the long term. Not much will for it at the minute given the hash the other crowd are making of it but as the EU tightens its grip and lands us with more fines there will be less reason to stay.

Even if we get rid of dairy farming in Ireland some other countries will increase their output to compensate.

Talk of leaving the eu or quitting dairy are soft talk as far as I’m concerned.

We need to fade the challenge and take some appropriate actions.

A proper look at deciduous forestry schemes with long term returns
With 2/3 of beef farms loosing money there has to be an opportunity to shift some into a proper native forestry scheme where decent long term returns exist, for continuous canopy management the payments should last as long as the forest exists in return for maintained public access, liability woukdnneed sorting of course.

It would solve much climate issues and build a public resource in the same measure

Nekarsulm · 06-06-2019 9:40pm

Could someone tell the Green party that not all pollution is caused by rural red-necks.
Here is a photo of the sewage plant at Dun Laoire / Rathdown this afternoon.
Anyone for a plate of Dublin Bay prawns?

Ubbquittious · 06-06-2019 9:43pm

Nekarsulm wrote: »

Could someone tell the Green party that not all pollution is caused by rural red-necks.
Here is a photo of the sewage plant at Dun Laoire / Rathdown this afternoon.
Anyone for a plate of Dublin Bay prawns?

Don't worry they had a bishop down to bless the sh1t before they opened the gate so it's all grand

Water John · 06-06-2019 9:51pm

The new SSRH scheme may help and give other land options. Been waiting for this 20 years in this country and I suppose we'll balls it up.
https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/renewable-heat-technical-workshop-to-take-place-later-this-month/

Say my name · 06-06-2019 10:30pm

Nekarsulm wrote: »

Could someone tell the Green party that not all pollution is caused by rural red-necks.
Here is a photo of the sewage plant at Dun Laoire / Rathdown this afternoon.
Anyone for a plate of Dublin Bay prawns?

Add the ESB to the list of polluters of Dublin water.

https://greennews.ie/esb-whistleblower-leak-oil/

Nobody is ever held responsible in the state or semi state companies.

Say my name · 06-06-2019 10:35pm

Water John wrote: »

The new SSRH scheme may help and give other land options. Been waiting for this 20 years in this country and I suppose we'll balls it up.
https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/renewable-heat-technical-workshop-to-take-place-later-this-month/

Are these just heat systems then and not in the case of anaerobic digestion, electricity production?

So mostly for hotels, leisure centres, maybe poultry and pig houses, and an odd farmhouse. Perhaps a new build housing estate?

Birdnuts · 06-06-2019 11:10pm

Say my name wrote: »

Add the ESB to the list of polluters of Dublin water.

https://greennews.ie/esb-whistleblower-leak-oil/

Nobody is ever held responsible in the state or semi state companies.

Tip of the iceberg that with the ESB and other sem-states like Coillte, BNM etc.

Birdnuts · 06-06-2019 11:11pm

Nekarsulm wrote: »

Could someone tell the Green party that not all pollution is caused by rural red-necks.
Here is a photo of the sewage plant at Dun Laoire / Rathdown this afternoon.
Anyone for a plate of Dublin Bay prawns?

Don't know about the Prawns but the Mullets will be extra big and tasty near that:D;)

_Brian · 07-06-2019 7:52am

Was reading this twitter thread and thought it linked in somewhat with this topic.

It’s about stupid food miles added to foods and some of the examples are mad, like British apples shipped to South Africa to be waxed and shipped back for sale in the U.K.

Interesting I see that shipping emissions aren’t covered by the Paris accord.

https://twitter.com/GeorgeMonbiot/status/1136565024330268673?s=20

Capercaillie · 07-06-2019 1:51pm

_Brian wrote: »

Was reading this twitter thread and thought it linked in somewhat with this topic.

It’s about stupid food miles added to foods and some of the examples are mad, like British apples shipped to South Africa to be waxed and shipped back for sale in the U.K.

Interesting I see that shipping emissions aren’t covered by the Paris accord.

https://twitter.com/GeorgeMonbiot/status/1136565024330268673?s=20

Shrimp caught in North Sea, shipped to Thailand to be de-veined and then sent back to EU.....

Nekarsulm · 07-06-2019 3:31pm

Saw a documentary where Scottish farmed salmon is flash frozen, shipped to Chins, thawed, filleted ,refrozen and shipped back to Scotland cheaper than local labour can be hired to fillet them.

RIGOLO · 07-06-2019 3:57pm

Nekarsulm wrote: »

Saw a documentary where Scottish farmed salmon is flash frozen, shipped to Chins, thawed, filleted ,refrozen and shipped back to Scotland cheaper than local labour can be hired to fillet them.

Ive no doubt its true . That sort of stuff has been going on for about 20 years.

Globalisation or as I prefer to call it Globollixation

blue5000 · 07-06-2019 4:14pm

Nekarsulm wrote: »

Could someone tell the Green party that not all pollution is caused by rural red-necks.
Here is a photo of the sewage plant at Dun Laoire / Rathdown this afternoon.
Anyone for a plate of Dublin Bay prawns?

Neks that was in Feb this year at Ringsend, Irish water were saying nothing about it until an amatuer caught it wth a drone.
https://www.thejournal.ie/dublin-poolbeg-sewage-4514420-Feb2019/

Mooooo · 07-06-2019 5:11pm

blue5000 wrote: »

Neks that was in Feb this year at Ringsend, Irish water were saying nothing about it until an amatuer caught it wth a drone.
https://www.thejournal.ie/dublin-poolbeg-sewage-4514420-Feb2019/

No it's happened again, there is a no swim warning out for beaches in the areas

https://m.independent.ie/irish-news/swimmers-barred-from-several-dublin-beaches-due-to-sewage-overflow-38189269.html

gctest50 · 07-06-2019 5:54pm

https://imgur.com/efKQjLs

.

gozunda · 07-06-2019 5:59pm

Mooooo wrote: »

No it's happened again, there is a no swim warning out for beaches in the areas

https://m.independent.ie/irish-news/swimmers-barred-from-several-dublin-beaches-due-to-sewage-overflow-38189269.html

The recent 'accidental' raw sewage discharge in Dublin is in contrast to the normal deliberate and daily discharge of raw sewage as a method of disposal in various parts of the country.

It has been estimated that raw sewage from the equivalent of 86,000 people flows into Irish waterways every day. Raw sewage which is discharged daily to surface water in 44 places around Ireland. In Cork harbour alone 5,000 tonnes of untreated sewage is pumped into the sea every day, although reportedly this volume was halved last year.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/raw-sewage-entering-water-in-44-places-around-ireland-1.3266141?mode=amp

https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/epa-sewage-pollution-ireland-water-13466133

Ubbquittious · 07-06-2019 8:46pm

gozunda wrote: »

The recent 'accidental' raw sewage discharge in Dublin is in contrast to the normal deliberate and daily discharge of raw sewage as a method of disposal in various parts of the country.

It has been estimated that raw sewage from the equivalent of 86,000 people flows into Irish waterways every day. Raw sewage which is discharged daily to surface water in 44 places around Ireland. In Cork harbour alone 5,000 tonnes of untreated sewage is pumped into the sea every day, although reportedly this volume was halved last year.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/raw-sewage-entering-water-in-44-places-around-ireland-1.3266141?mode=amp

https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/epa-sewage-pollution-ireland-water-13466133

The situation is bad in Cork alright. Some lad is developing an app to tell people if the water is good enough to swim in and apparently it never is. A lot of nasty stuff coming out of Little Island I think

wrangler · 09-06-2019 9:25pm

We've had a brilliant wipeout of rabbits in this area in the last week.
Is Myxo still around.dead rabbits everywhere

Buford T. Justice XIX · 09-06-2019 9:55pm

Just to get the idea of the level of reductions that are needed.
https://twitter.com/TylerPrize/status/1136010788978798597?s=19

Say my name · 09-06-2019 10:31pm

If you're following that Buford you should follow these crowd.

https://mobile.twitter.com/nori

They've some really far out there podcasts on carbon reduction and sequestration. From soil to basaltic weathering on beaches at the equator (volcanic eruptions at the equator caused the ice ages according to the podcast) to air conditioning units. Stick it on when you're rounding up the cows.

Birdnuts · 10-06-2019 12:17am

wrangler wrote: »

We've had a brilliant wipeout of rabbits in this area in the last week.
Is Myxo still around.dead rabbits everywhere

Either Mixi or the rabbit equivalent of Ebola ie. RHI which is even more deadly and has in the last few years hit populations up and down the country

Buford T. Justice XIX · 10-06-2019 5:39pm

An interesting perspective on the use of forestry and carbon credits.
https://twitter.com/nz_farmers/status/1138022397259517958?s=19

Say my name · 10-06-2019 7:23pm

Buford T. Justice VI wrote: »

An interesting perspective on the use of forestry and carbon credits.

I have a sneaky suspicion that New Zealand looked at our forestry grant system and just changed the wording to carbon credits.
Then Minister Creed looked at their forestry carbon credit system for reducing agricultural emissions and thought great idea I must try a fly a kite with that idea here except without the carrot and on every farm.
Welcome to Irzealand.

gozunda · 10-06-2019 7:33pm

Buford T. Justice VI wrote: »

An interesting perspective on the use of forestry and carbon credits.
https://twitter.com/nz_farmers/status/1138022397259517958?s=19

Imo like the much vaunted solar 'farms' under planning in Ireland atm. Most of them appear to be private / foreign investment companies looking to make a nice return on carbon credits / green energy. To me it's looking just too much like like a ponzi scheme with unrealistic lease prices being offered.

Firstly carbon credits are akin to Bitcoin - the value of both is imaginary and increases only as more investors enter the market looking to invest in these schemes.

Secondly if or when such schemes go pear shaped - who is left holding the baby and at what cost?

Say my name · 10-06-2019 7:52pm

I started this thread to give everyone an opportunity to post their own works on farm that in other circles might be looked at with derision and show the public that we're not all money grabbing scroungers who only care what's in our back pocket.
Some would say like the rest of society.
But I think I can declare that the thread has been a success even if it still raises awareness among the rest of farming society who still never posted on here yet.
How many thousand farmers are there out there?

I don't think I've thanked any posts on here. So don't take that as a slight but there'd be no point as I'd have to thank all posts. But ye got and have your opportunity to show what you do on your own farm.

So all that aside I better make an attempt to post what I do myself.

I've been tree planting on ditches in the last while. I'm currently barb and sheep wire some of the ditches to encourage growth out to the wire and thicken the ditch. I've spread basalt dust on the whole farm so there'd be some natural weathering and carbon capture from that.
I'm currently fooling around with biological sprays and foliar feeding so maybe more carbon capture with that. I'm reducing my dosing usage to help soil life and the yearlings just received the one dose last year as judged by visual assessment. I'm currently nearly on the cusp of starting fooling around with biochar now as well so more environmental benefits.

So I think that's most of it.

Anyhoo that's my own gig.
Continue thread... :pac:

Say my name · 12-06-2019 8:57pm

There's a few quid there if anyone's interested.
$22/ ton for carbon seems low though.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2019/06/12/new-plan-remove-trillion-tons-carbon-dioxide-atmosphere-bury-it/

RIGOLO · 17-06-2019 7:34pm

Following on from an earlier post I made on here that led me to mention how Health and Safety standards are not followed half as much in France (where I spend alot of time) as in Ireland.

I had a fine example yesterday of how that impacts on farmers or farming communities looking to get income from other sources.

I took the family to visit a bio farm nearby , (Grignon) about 400 hectares, 200 dairy and 600 sheep.

Great visit but other than the odd sign saying do not make too much noise and frighten the calves and ewes and a sorry looking bit of old silage rope to keep the ponys (there for kids pony rides) cordoned off, I didnt see a single measure that had been taken to adjust how this WORKING farm flips from the heavy intensive farming involved in milking 200 cows, rearing 600 sheep. Everything was open, silage area, farm sheds, milking parlour, machinery sheds, barns, and all on a massive scale, the kids jumping up in the tractor rides. etc When they say its a working farm, other than leaving off moving silage bales about cos of the foot traffic, this farm was in full operation even with probably 500-1000 visitors in a day.
And we had a big market setup in the grounds, everyone sitting around outside hte milking parlour eating sandwhiches on the grass. And not a health and safety boyo in sight.

It was great , we had a great time , being able to really wonder all over the farm. And Im not saying Farming Health and Safety is not a #1 priority.
but
Ive visited plenty of similar efforts in Ireland in my time , bringing my kids to see local farms and Id imagine they spend a small fortune to get their place setup so they can first get approval to run farm visits and second to cover their insurance costs.

To get back on track, if farms are entering a new enviromental era , someone needs to make sure they arent wrapped up in red tape and costs just so some city slicker can justify his day job and tell his EU headman he is being a good boy, when the French lad is doing it all on the fly.

Say my name · 17-06-2019 9:01pm

RIGOLO wrote: »

Following on from an earlier post I made on here that led me to mention how Health and Safety standards are not followed half as much in France (where I spend alot of time) as in Ireland.

I had a fine example yesterday of how that impacts on farmers or farming communities looking to get income from other sources.

I took the family to visit a bio farm nearby , (Grignon) about 400 hectares, 200 dairy and 600 sheep.

Great visit but other than the odd sign saying do not make too much noise and frighten the calves and ewes and a sorry looking bit of old silage rope to keep the ponys (there for kids pony rides) cordoned off, I didnt see a single measure that had been taken to adjust how this WORKING farm flips from the heavy intensive farming involved in milking 200 cows, rearing 600 sheep. Everything was open, silage area, farm sheds, milking parlour, machinery sheds, barns, and all on a massive scale, the kids jumping up in the tractor rides. etc When they say its a working farm, other than leaving off moving silage bales about cos of the foot traffic, this farm was in full operation even with probably 500-1000 visitors in a day.
And we had a big market setup in the grounds, everyone sitting around outside hte milking parlour eating sandwhiches on the grass. And not a health and safety boyo in sight.

It was great , we had a great time , being able to really wonder all over the farm. And Im not saying Farming Health and Safety is not a #1 priority.
but
Ive visited plenty of similar efforts in Ireland in my time , bringing my kids to see local farms and Id imagine they spend a small fortune to get their place setup so they can first get approval to run farm visits and second to cover their insurance costs.

To get back on track, if farms are entering a new enviromental era , someone needs to make sure they arent wrapped up in red tape and costs just so some city slicker can justify his day job and tell his EU headman he is being a good boy, when the French lad is doing it all on the fly.

You say bio farm.

I hope that's not a typo. Had they any different practices (than say an irish farm) that allow themselves class themselves as a bio farm.
Other than feral children running around the place. :pac:

New environmental era of farming. Are you playing your part?

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