IRELAND — The next forestry programme must “ensure that forestry as a land use option is economically viable and competitive, while satisfying environmental requirements”, according to the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA). IFA president Francie Gorman has said that forestry is a “strategically important sector that has a key role to play in achieving climate change targets”. …Ireland’s largest forestry and timber body, Forest Industries Ireland (FII) has highlighted the “huge opportunity” for farmers “to take advantage of afforestation grant schemes” during a meeting with the IFA this week. FII highlighted the need for more farmers to consider planting forestry on their land amid rapid growth in global demand for timber products, driving up the value of future forestry harvests. “The Irish timber industry has the potential to significantly grow as many countries move towards net zero carbon targets and focus on sustainable building materials such as timber.”