EU takes further steps to implement the Windsor Framework
The Council adopted three regulations aimed at implementing the joint solutions agreed with the UK regarding public, animal and plant health issues, medicines and certain steel products. In practice, the new SPS rules will make it possible to move agri-food retail products from Great Britain for consumption in Northern Ireland with minimal certification requirements and controls, once the agreed safeguards have been put in place. The movement of certain plants for planting, based on a special plant health label, will become easier, as will the movement of agricultural machinery. The ban on the trade of seed potatoes to NI will be removed.
Ireland considers scheme to cull cows to meet climate goals
It is being reported in the Irish press that almost 200,000 cows may have to be culled by 2025 to meet Ireland’s emissions target at a cost around €600 million. Agriculture Minister, Charlie McConalogue, announced earlier this year a voluntary dairy reduction scheme under which farmers will be paid to reduce dairy cow numbers to help meet emission reduction targets under a voluntary exit scheme to be finalised later in 2023. The Irish suckler herd is already in decline, but figures obtained from the department of agriculture shows that a 10% reduction is needed after successive governments supported its expansion.
