The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers' Association (ICSA) has said that it is reserving its position on the Food Vision Beef and Sheep Group report due to what it describes as the lack of concrete commitments around funding for the measures.

The group published its final report yesterday (Wednesday, November 30), which puts forward nine direct measures that could be adapted by the sectors to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Included in the report are two options to reduce the number of suckler cows in the country.

The ICSA said it does not support measures that lead to reduced output, in the absence of a coherent plan to support viable suckler, beef and sheep systems.

The association said it will only engage further if there is a commitment from the relevant ministers (agriculture, climate and public expenditure) to sit down with the Food Vision Beef and Sheep Group to negotiate a way forward.

According to the ICSA, the report provides no reassurances that the government wants to see the suckler, sheep and beef sectors prosper or stabilise.

In a statement the ICSA said: "Instead, it represents a set of ideas put forward exclusively by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and therefore is essentially an internal document, to which stakeholders have been given an opportunity to comment but not to negotiate."

The association said that it understands the challenges posed by the demands for climate change action and the need to further develop our international reputation as a supplier of leading quality meat and dairy.

The success of farmers in working through the financial crash and growing agri-food exports to €15.4 billion cannot be sacrificed, according to the ICSA, which means that only win-win solutions should be included in a coherent strategy.

"It is evident that this report, and the wider Climate Action Plan is meaningless without a financial framework," the ICSA statement continued.

"In all other cases, the burden will be shared either by the taxpayer or by passing on costs to consumers or both. Further engagement will only work with all the relevant ministers at the negotiating table."

The association stressed that no plan would be acceptable unless the economic viability of sucklers, beef and sheep is addressed in a comprehensive manner.

The ICSA has made the following key demands as a pathway towards an agreed plan: