The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon TD, has launched a second public consultation to inform the development of Ireland’s National Carbon Farming Framework. A draft set of principles has also been published to guide the process.

The framework aims to support farmers, foresters and landowners in adopting land management practices that remove and store carbon. These practices include actions across soils, forests, grasslands, croplands and hedgerows. The goal is to create a new income stream for land managers while helping Ireland meet its climate, biodiversity and water quality targets.

The draft principles reflect recent developments at European level, including the publication of the EU Carbon Removals and Carbon Farming Certification Regulation in December 2024. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has worked closely with Climate KIC, Europe’s leading climate innovation agency, to gather stakeholder input through interviews and workshops.

A multi-stakeholder working group will be established to oversee the framework’s development. The group will include representatives from farming, forestry and landowner sectors.

Minister Heydon said the consultation is a key opportunity for those working on the land to shape a new and emerging marketplace. He encouraged broad participation to ensure the framework delivers clarity and confidence for both farmers and investors.

The draft policy document is titled “Carbon Farming – Developments at European Union level and Principles to develop Carbon Farming in Ireland.” Submissions are now being accepted through the Department’s consultation portal.