Ireland is proposing a slaughter of 200,000 dairy cows in order to have cleaner air. Methane from cows is considered a leading contributor to greenhouse gasses. 

But Irish dairy farmers aren’t having it. They are revolting against the country’s proposal to kill 65,000 cows a year, for three years, to meet climate goals. 

Cull of dairy cows would slash herd by 10%

The proposal would shrink the national dairy herd by 10% at a cost to taxpayers of $213 million annually. The Irish government says the cull would be voluntary and the government would pay ranchers per head of cattle culled as a “retirement exit scheme.”

Critics call proposal a disaster for Ireland

Elon musk was quick to condemn Ireland’s proposal. He took to Twitter saying that killing cows doesn’t matter for climate change. Farmers say if the cull is voluntary, it won’t meet climate targets, calling the plan a waste. 

The president of the Irish Farmers’ Association, Tim Cullinan, said that beef and dairy production would simply shift to other countries, causing more emissions elsewhere and therefore defeating the purpose of the overall climate goal.

The president of the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association, Pat McCormack, said that herds aren’t any larger than they were 30 years ago, noting the same can’t be said for the transportation and aviation industries. 

Ireland’s Agriculture Department: No final plans for proposal

Another critic, geologist Ian Pilmer, says culling 200,000 head of cattle can only end in “disaster.”

He compared the move to the Irish potato famine, where a third of the Irish population died and a third emigrated out. He fears the move would backfire on the country.

The Irish Department of Agriculture said there are no final plans, and that this is simply a proposal.

This is a story unlike many others, but it’s not getting a lot of attention from the media. Only a handful of outlets are reporting on Ireland’s proposed culling to meet its climate agenda.

Right-leaning outlets have offered coverage while left-leaning outlets have largely ignored the story. By using the Straight Arrow News Media Miss tool, see when the mainstream media is ignoring a topic that might not fit an agenda.