Collaboration is Needed for Ireland’s Dairy Sector to Tackle Climate Change

28 Feb 2017 --- Delegates from Ireland’s dairy sector have heard how climate change poses threats of extreme weather and the potential for new diseases and pests - but Ireland is less likely to experience such extremities compared with competitor countries in key milk producing regions around the world.

This means there are risks to consider and also significant opportunities for Ireland’s dairy sector, according to a special industry conference held at the Teagasc Ashtown conference centre, Dublin, yesterday (February 27). 

The conference included details of a safefood sponsored research project which surveyed dairy industry stakeholders to determine their level of awareness of the potential impacts that climate change could create.

Principal researcher on the project, professor Thia Hennessy of University College Cork’s Department of Food Business said this was the first such survey of dairy stakeholders in Ireland, who are highly aware of the impact climate chain has on the dairy sector and are committed to collective action to avail any opportunities. 

“The study confirmed that climate change presents both an opportunity and a threat for the Irish dairy sector. The threats identified in the survey included, extreme weather events, the emergence of new diseases and pests, adds research collaborator, Trevor Donnellan of Teagasc.

“By contrast the development of unfavorable climate conditions in some of the world’s key milk producing countries could offer an advantage to the Irish dairy sector, since the Irish climate is likely to be less adversely affected. One of the major recommendations of this research was that more planning is required to consider how to deal with extreme weather events.”

Also welcoming the research is Dr James McIntosh, from Safefood, a body set up to promote awareness and knowledge of food safety and nutrition issues in Ireland. 

“Our work to improve public health on the island of Ireland is evolving to meet the ever-changing needs of consumers and the food environment,” he said.

“Climate change has the potential to impact on almost every aspect of food production and supply on the island and it’s important for us to understand how the provision of safe food and the promotion of good food safety practices across the food chain will be affected, particularly in larger agri-food sectors such as the dairy industry.”

During the conference there was also debate surrounding how science and technology can play a major role in mitigating climate change, but there are obstacles to getting technology from the lab to the farm because not all farmers are keen to adopt technological developments and these concerns needed to be addressed. 

Stakeholders felt that technologies being developed to address greenhouse gas emissions should be discussed with farmers in the developmental stage to establish their practicality.

“Climate change may also pose a threat for food safety as one of the most prevalent food safety hazards within the dairy industry is mycotoxins which emerge in animal feed. Warmer and wetter climates, as projected for Ireland under climate change, would contribute to a proliferation in fungal growth and thereby increase in mycotoxin contamination,” added Katrina Campbell of Queen’s University Belfast, who also collaborated on the research.

“To counter the potential impact of climate change on food safety, new innovative technology and monitoring systems must be invested in to help ensure climate change consequences do not become a threat from the beginning point of the dairy food chain. 

“New testing methods to detect contaminants may need to be investigated in order to prevent transmission through the food chain and human consumption.”