Farmers are already doing their bit on climate change and are prepared to do more – when they get properly paid for their produce.

According to pressure group Farmers For Action Northern Ireland, corporate profit taking by multinational companies is at the root of the problem, not local food production.

"Farming families across these islands have fed the nation 24/7, 365 days a year, wind, rain, hail or shine, through two World Wars and now Covid-19, not to mention everything in between and they have had enough of taking the blame for climate change – the message is loud and clear ‘Get off our backs and refocus your efforts on the real Climate Change culprits!’" said the FFA's William Taylor.

"If people are serious about helping our planet in crisis then they should make absolutely sure they are not buying Chinese goods until the Chinese totalitarian government responsible for 28% of global emissions and others learn that they can no longer do as they please putting climate change on the long finger.

"FFA are calling for clear bold labelling of goods indicating where they are made – including their components and if not visible and clear ‘if in doubt leave without’, don’t buy them!

Mr Taylor stressed that fossil fuel use across the world is responsible for 75% of global warming, and recent figures by the Met Office showed that in 2020, the world's average temperature lowered by approximately 1.5 degrees as a large percentage of aeroplanes worldwide were grounded and the overall production and usage of fossil fuel across the world lowered due to the pandemic.

"Let no one tell the world's population to stop eating meat and then jet off on their holidays or any other needless trips burning fossil fuels," said Mr Taylor.

"It’s time for a reality check around the world for Government’s including the current UK Government, for the airline industry, for large corporate food retailers, for large corporates to end the hypocrisy on climate change and instead knuckle down, cut out food swaps caused by corporate profit taking and stop blaming farmers for accelerated climate change, and instead look for new solutions including curtailing China’s out of control totalitarian Government by embargoing their goods until they do their climate change duty in full."