Livestock Archives - Agricultural and Rural Convention

IPCC | Climate Chaos and Land Use: Is Livestock a Liability?

30 September, 2019 Louise Kelleher

Is livestock a liability in the climate game? Not if it’s done right, says the IPCC. In its Special Report on Climate Change and Land Use that came out over the summer, the IPCC weighs up the solutions agriculture can offer to the challenges of climate change adaptation and mitigation, desertification, land degradation and food security. Sustainable livestock is just one of the responses examined in this sweeping analysis of the possible scenarios. […]

Organic Livestock Farming is for the Birds!

22 July, 2019 Oliver Moore

Organic livestock farming is the only CAP supported agri-environmental (AES) measure that has been shown to correlate with higher bird numbers. This finding comes from newly published research on birds in Finland. […]

Ireland | Beef Plan Movement Steps up Protest

14 July, 2019 ARC

On Wednesday the 10th of July an estimated 2,500 farmers took to the streets of Dublin to protest against the proposed Mercosur deal. The protest was organised by Beef Plan, a voluntary not for profit organisation set up in October 2018 by a small group of farmers from Meath (in Ireland’s centre-east). Since then, its membership has grown to over 20,000. So who are they and what do they want? […]

Brussels | Farmers, Environmentalists tackle EU-Mercosur Deal

12 July, 2019 Brendan Ó Conchúir (Brendan Conchuir)

Several organisation representing farmers and environmentalists came together in Brussels to protest against the Mercosur trade deal yesterday. Responding to a call from the Belgian farmers group FUGEA, farmers and activists gathered outside the European Commission to protest against the threat posed by Mercosur to farmer incomes, the environment, and the rights of indigenous peoples in South America. […]

The Challenge of Making UK Ruminant Production Sustainable

5 June, 2019 ARC

Ruminant livestock farmers have the unique potential to manage the British countryside to deliver a number of public goods, alongside profitably producing environmentally-sustainable premium-quality meat. The potential ‘prize’ is a carbon-neutral UK ruminant livestock sector, as part of a rural landscape that delivers a number of publicly-desired ecosystem services. […]

Ireland | Beef Farmers Get Organised

24 April, 2019 Brendan Ó Conchúir (Brendan Conchuir)

In Ireland an increasing number of beef farmers, traditionally not organised into producer groups or coops, have started to get organised. Through the emergence of a beef plan, which puts them at odds with the established farming organisations, a new mood and fledgling movement is emerging. […]

20 Essential Earth Day Reads from ARC2020

21 April, 2019 ARC

Its Earth Day Monday 22nd and to celebrate we’ve selected our twenty favourite, most appropriate, most thought-provoking and compelling reads to get in the mood. From rewilding to climate change, pesticides bans to the role of livestock in climate-friendly farming, and a gripping personal account of front line action in the Paris COP 21 climate change talks….it’s all here! […]

How to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions from EU Agriculture by 81%

27 March, 2019 Steve Gillman

Business as usual in agriculture will see no more than a 10% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 – but there are other approaches. The most ambitious of these could see up to an 81% reduction –with targets and taxes – an IEEP report finds. […]

MEPs Mean Business on Live Exports

20 February, 2019 Louise Kelleher

The European Parliament last week called on member states to step up enforcement of existing rules on protecting livestock during transport. MEPs are urging member states to ramp up spot checks, use tracking technology to monitor compliance, and apply tougher penalties for offenders. Transport times should be cut, but the preference is to phase out live exports altogether in favour of local slaughtering. And when animals are transported to non-EU countries, EU standards should be applied. […]

Letter from a Farm | Growing Relationships in Romania

30 January, 2019 Brindusa Birhala

We are back on Brindusa’s farm in Romania as she reflects on what worked in 2018 and what she will work on in the coming year. Not to be underestimated: the importance of steady, reliable relationships to consumers keen for larger quantities. […]

EU Protein Plan | Positive Reactions but with Caveats

23 November, 2018 ARC

Protein plants and the animals and humans that eat them are in the news this week, as the European Commission and a range of farming and environmental NGOs publish reports and opinions on the matter. A number of organisations reacted positively, but with caveats. So what were the concerns? […]

If Not Meat Then What? Climate Change, Regenerative Ag and Viable Rural Areas

4 November, 2018 Oliver Moore

The starkness of the IPCC’s most recent climate change warnings – of 12 year window before runaway impacts – has focused the minds of many. What role – if any – for livestock in this brave new herd? […]

Recharging Soils with Carbon Could Make Farms More Productive

30 September, 2018 ARC

‘Farm land could work as carbon sinks,’ said Dr Jan Mumme, an agricultural engineer at the University of Edinburgh in the UK. ‘This probably wouldn’t work with intensive livestock farming, but sustainable crop production and integrated farm systems (a balance between crops and livestock) could do it – and biochar is one way to help.’ […]

#SoilMatters – So How Did Our Authors Treat It?

2 July, 2018 ARC

Here we summarise and provide links to all eight contributions to the soil matters article series. From soil and the city to no till, humus and technical articles from soil scientists, there is much in here to cause wonder, controversy and, it is hoped, greater understanding. […]

Letter From The Farm | Welcome to Mayo

2 July, 2018 Sinéad Moran

Country girl becomes city girl with a background in climate change and environmental activism – and then becomes a cattle farmer? How did that happen? Meet Sineád from Mayo…… […]