Farmers play a valuable role in societal and economic terms. We’re not willing to sit back and allow them to be scapegoated.

In recent weeks, RTE promoted diets that turned away from local, sustainably produced, top-quality meat and dairy products.

Instead their diet expert suggested foods that were imported and processed, going so far as to tell one family they should stop eating eggs from the hens they kept in their own backyard.

The SEAI banning red meat from their event is in direct contrast to the Department of Health, whose food pyramid promotes a diet rich in diary and protein as essential to maintaining human health and development.

To be specific, the Department of Health’s guidelines recommend three servings from the ‘milk, yogurt and cheese’ food group each day as part of a healthy, balanced diet. Between nine and 18 years old, five servings daily are recommended due to the importance of calcium during this life stage. Examples of one serving include 200ml of milk, 125g of yogurt or 25g of cheddar-type cheese.

This advice is based on decades of scientific research, but is now being dismissed as outdated and old-fashioned.

The fact that no-one is questioning if there are vested interests behind these products is astonishing.

Consumers deserve choice, and they also deserve accurate information about the choices they are making, including information about the nutritional content of dairy and meat products and how they compare to non-dairy and non-meat alternatives. That is why IFA recently joined forces with others in the sector to form Meat and Dairy Facts.

Diet trends have always come and gone as certain foods become more popular or new research is published. I still remember the 70s and 80s, when we were told by “experts” that margarine was far better for you than butter. Now, companies are replacing the “I can’t believe it’s not butter” slogan with meat, milk, cheese, etc. What’s not being talked about is that while a product may look like meat or cheese, the nutritional value is often in no way comparable.

For example, a recent look at products such as burgers, steaks, cheese and their vegan alternatives revealed some startling facts.

Comparison

A comparison between an Irish mature red cheddar and its vegan alterative showed the vegan alternative to be 28% higher in salt and containing zero protein. A comparison between a lean mince Irish supermarket burger and its vegan alternative showed the vegan product to be 129.5% higher in calories, 4.6 times higher in fat and 5.5 times higher in salt.

Food production by its very nature produces carbon. The systems we have in Ireland produce very nutritious food in an exceptionally sustainable manner. We are currently the most sustainable milk producer and the fifth most sustainable beef producer in Europe. Our farmers are working to reduce their carbon footprint even further.

Next week the IFA, together with our colleagues from around Europe, will gather in Brussels to discuss how to ensure that consumers are informed about how food is produced in Europe, the nutritional value of this food and the environmental impact it has.

The aim is to refute, with scientific arguments and objective data, the accusations being placed at farmers doors.

The public is increasingly concerned about climate change, and rightfully so. While much more needs to be done, very few people realise how much our farmers are already doing in this area and the success they have had in making Irish farming more environmentally friendly.

Today’s consumer is short on time, but hungry for knowledge.

IFA, with our colleagues here in Ireland and across Europe, will work to ensure that consumers have the full facts now, to make informed choices in the future.