Farmers in the Republic of Ireland will be asked to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 25% by 2030.
The Irish government agreed to set the target after its climate action plan had initially pledged cuts of 22-30%.
Meanwhile, it set a 50% reduction for the transport sector and a 75% reduction for the energy sector.
See also: Northern Ireland soil health scheme a ‘milestone for farming’
The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) labelled the 25% target as “a potentially devastating blow for Irish farming and the rural economy”.
IFA president Tim Cullinan said the deal between Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party “is all about the survival of the government rather than survival of rural Ireland”.
He added: “The government has agreed to a target without any pathway to get there or any budget to assist farmers to reduce emissions.
“They have no idea of the economic and social impact of today’s decision on the farming sector or rural Ireland. Farmers across the country will be rightly worried about what this means for their future.”
Mr Cullinan said the implementation plan to achieve the target will be vital, adding that any attempt to undermine farmers’ livelihoods or the viability of the sector to achieve these targets will be “vigorously opposed” by the IFA.
He warned that the target could cost farmers about €2bn/year (£1.6bn) in lost income.
Herd numbers ‘won’t be cut’
But Ireland’s farm minister, Charlie McConalogue, told RTÉ’s Prime Time that no livestock farmers will be forced to cut their herds because of the carbon emissions reduction plan.
Mr McConalogue acknowledged that while the target for farmers was challenging, it was “ultimately achievable”.
“I’m confident that breakthroughs in areas like feed additives will provide viable, implementable solutions over the next number of years and we today recognise the key role of decarbonising the energy system,” he said.
In Northern Ireland, the Stormont Assembly passed an amendment in February to limit the reduction of methane to 46% by 2050, as part of wider ambitions to reach net zero by 2050.
NI agriculture minister Edwin Poots has said he also wants to limit the effect of any targets to reduce climate emissions on the country’s farmers.
