Last week, the Climate Bill was passed by the Dáil and goes before the Seanad this week.

It’s a critical time for agriculture, and the devil will be in the detail over the coming months as the sector really finds out what the expectations and demands are.

Unfortunately, the divide between environmentalists and the agri sector is widening.

For some environmentalists, nothing short of shutting down farming as we know it in this country will be enough to address their concerns.

Do we live in a world now where farmers are not entitled to an opinion on the future of their sector or where those working in agriculture are not entitled to defend what they do for a living?

Some seem to think so.

The country’s farming sector has changed immeasurably over the last number of decades, but there’s no denying it needs to continue evolving and with an emphasis on improving the environment.

And there are at least two sides to every debate.

But it seems there is an agenda determined to discourage open discourse, or any discourse, which does nothing to help change a sector looking to evolve.

The emergence of a cancel culture is one of
the many unsavoury aspects of social media and it’s practised by some in the environmental lobby.

All it does is polarise the sides, which benefits no one.

Berating farmers and anyone with a different opinion to those with a strong environmental stance leads to further polarisation of the debate on how to improve our climate credentials.

In fact, it’s an attempt to silence any debate.

Agriculture is responsible for a third of the country’s greenhouse gases, making it also the sector that has the most opportunity to improve its lot.

However, those who only want change on their terms and their terms alone will do nothing to help change farming, only drive a wider divide between the sides.

Clearly all sides have a lot to give in terms of finding solutions and it’s only by combining all that knowledge that a sensible way forward can be devised.

The best advice I ever received was being told I’m not always right.

It can be difficult to swallow, but it’s something that everyone should pause to consider.