Tag Archives: Teagasc

For Irish dairy farmers, water quality is central to their focus on environmental sustainability Dairy farming is at the heart of Irish life – products produced by 17,500 family farms (and the 60,000 people they employ) are exported to 130 countries, and contribute some €6.8 billion to the Irish economy each year. The industry is not, however, without its challenges. For example, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) identifies agriculture as a major contributor to a reduction in the quality of around half of Ireland’s rivers, lakes and estuaries. Across Ireland farmers are employing innovative technologies and practices that are designed to reduce agriculture’s environmental footprint, both in terms of water quality impacts and GHG emissions. The goals are challenging, but the industry is changing to address them. Water quality is key. Sediment traps are placed at the bottom of sloping farmyards to catch rain and wastewater and trees like willow and alder soak up any nutrients that might run off …

THE Clare Beef Plan Movement has called for a total rethink in the way carbon emissions are analysed and for more consideration to the cyclical nature of livestock emissions. Beef Plan chairman, Joe Woulfe believes new environmental studies need to be undertaken following the huge reduction in greenhouse gases from cars and planes as a result of Covid-19 restrictions. In an interview with the Clare Champion, Mr Woulfe said there has never been such a significant shift away from cars, ships, ferries and aeroplanes throughout the world. “There has been a seismic change in the use of different modes of transport over the last few months. Farmers are being unfairly blamed while the impact of the aviation industry isn’t being looked at. “It is if tourists flying from all over the world into Ireland on holidays don’t do any damage to the planet,” he said. Asked if he accepted that agriculture will have to play its role in the reduction …

AS the impact of Storm Emma continues this week, one farm leader has condemned the national subsidised fodder transport scheme as a “shambles”. Former regional Teagasc advisor, Brendan Henaghan, has also warned that there may not be a plentiful supply of grass on some Clare farms until early May. IFA president Joe Healy has called on the Minister for Agriculture, Michael Creed, to look at the implications of Storm Emma, which looks set to create a major fodder crisis. “Grass growth is at zero in March. Grass is saturated and will rot with any hard frost. We will not see good growth for a few weeks. “The bad weather has put back growth by about a month. It will be at least two weeks before land is dry again and then the cold weather will add to the fodder crisis,” Mr Healy said. He described the introduction of the transport scheme as a “gesture” to tackle the fodder shortage, but …

Teagasc and Mental Health Ireland (MHI) have launched a joint publication called ‘Coping with the Pressures of Farming’. It will be a valuable reference for those dealing with farmers on a day-to-day basis, such as agricultural advisors, vets, DAFM officials, banks, suppliers, accountants and solicitors who must be aware of the mental health impacts of financial burdens and other issues affecting the mental health of rural dwellers. It will also be a valuable resource for farm families. Mairead McGuinness MEP, who launched the new publication on the Teagasc stand at the National Ploughing Championships, said, “This is an important and timely publication. It provides the tools to allow farming families to identify the symptoms of persistent stress, but more importantly what to do about it.” She continued, “I commend those involved in compiling this comprehensive booklet and urge farming families to use the information and supports outlined in it and learn how to recognise the symptoms of stress and take …

Teagasc has called on farmers to make their own safety, and their families’ safety, top priority in 2016.   This follows another year of high Irish farm deaths, when 17 persons died (provisional figure), compared to 30 in 2014. Teagasc health and safety officer, John McNamara has called for particular vigilance in January as farm work increases, giving rise to increased risk.  He stated that January and March have about 9% and 12% respectively, of annual fatal farm accidents, which is associated with high levels of work activity. Dr McNamara said that while each accident has individual factors, contact with machinery and equipment (41%), livestock incidents (24%) and falls from heights (18%) were the predominant associated causes in 2015. Dr McNamara r pointed out that up to €395 million is available in Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS 2) funding up to the end of 2019. A considerable number of measures are included which support making farms safer and more efficient workplaces. These include …

Clare farmers are being encouraged to avail of an upcoming opportunity to dispose of their hazardous wastes. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has teamed up with Teagasc, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Local Authorities, WEEE Ireland and the European Recycling Platform (ERP) to operate 10 bring centres for the collection of farm hazardous waste across the country, one of which will be located in Ennis next Monday, from 9.30am to 3.30pm. Waste items ranging from out-of-date pesticides to waste electronic and electrical equipment (WEEE) and from waste engine oil to contaminated waste packaging can be deposited at Ennis Mart. The farm hazardous waste campaign was successfully piloted in 2013 and ran again in 2014. Over 3,000 farmers brought waste to 16 collection centres and disposed of 260 tonnes of hazardous waste and 100 tonnes of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) and batteries. “This scheme provides farmers with an excellent opportunity to dispose of their hazardous wastes …

Clare cattle farmers will have an opportunity to hear from a panel of experts on maximising farm income at a special meeting on Wednesday night. Teagasc, in association with Clare Marts, are holding the information meeting at the mart’s headquarters in Ennis at 7.45pm. Topics for discussion will include: GLAS (Declan Murphy, Teagasc, Ennis) Market outlook for cattle (Darren Carty, Irish Farmers Journal). Basic Payment Scheme outline (Gerry Gunning, IFA) Basic Payment Scheme – land eligibility, inspections, cross compliance, etc. (Con O’Brien, regional inspector, Department of Agriculture).

Ahead this Thursday’s HSA/Teagasc national conference on farm safety and health in Kilkenny, the ICSA has urged Clare  farmers to engage fully with the issue. “Farmers can no longer ignore this issue,” said John Flynn, a member of the ICSA’s Farm Safety Partnership Advisory Committee (FSPAC). “There are many different resources available to farmers, including DVDs, meetings and conferences like this one, and the onus is now on farmers to make use of these.” Mr Flynn also called on Teagasc to explore new ways to encourage farmers to give greater consideration to farm safety. “Older farmers particularly need more encouragement in this area, and while we acknowledge the good work being done by Teagasc, courses and materials need to be made more accessible for all farmers, such as running courses in the evenings rather than during the day,” he said.