Sustainable Livestock Village puts water quality in spotlight at Tullamore Show
Dairy Industry Ireland and Meat Industry Ireland will highlight the supports available to farmers through the five-year Farming for Water programme
Print12 August 2024
The Sustainable Livestock Village returns to the National Livestock Show in Tullamore, spotlighting water quality as this year’s central theme.
“This year the Sustainable Livestock Village has a strong focus on water quality, including information on the €60 million Farming for Water EIP, which my department launched earlier this year in cooperation with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage,” said Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, T.D.
This information, along with advice on improving the breeding and health of Ireland’s national herd and the new sustainability tool AgNav, are important resources available to help farmers on their sustainability journey.
Available support
Dairy Industry Ireland and Meat Industry Ireland will highlight the supports available to farmers through the five-year, Farming for Water programme and will outline how farmers can apply and participate.
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine will also outline government supports available to help farmers improve water quality.
“The new Farming for Water EIP is an extremely welcome scheme designed around the ethos of putting the right measure in the right place,” said Conor Mulvihill, director, Dairy Industry Ireland.
Mulvihill notes that the project provides financial support to implement measures that protect and improve water quality at a local level.
“This initiative highlights the whole sector’s commitment to sustainable farming practices, ensuring the long-term health of our water bodies while continuing to produce high-quality dairy products.”
Speakers’ Corner
The Sustainable Livestock Village has introduced a new feature, the Speakers’ Corner, where discussions on farm sustainability will take place with organisations and state bodies, including Bord Bia, Teagasc, Meat Industry Ireland, Dawn Meats, Liffey Meats, Tirlán and Lakeland Dairies.
Several farmers will also share their experiences of implementing sustainability on their farms.
The panel discussion topics range from reducing carbon footprints and protecting water quality to achieving younger finishing ages, developing sustainability plans, and nurturing farm ecosystems.
Livestock display
Elsewhere, practical support is available on the day, including a livestock display from the ICBF highlighting the role of the Commercial Beef Value Index (CBV) in helping farmers make better breeding and purchasing decisions to increase profitability.
Farmers will receive an interactive demo of AgNav, the new farm sustainability platform developed by Bord Bia, Teagasc, and the Irish Cattle Breeders’ Federation (ICBF).
“AgNav is an innovative tool that provides farmers with a platform to monitor and improve their farming practices,” said Edel McEvoy, Agriculture Sustainability specialist, Bord Bia.
AgNav enables farmers to analyse the impact of sustainable changes in farming practices, while providing guidance on creating sustainability plans to ensure each plan is practical and achievable.
“We are continuously adding new features, including enhanced support for processor farm sustainability programmes.”
Read more: Dairy Industry Ireland welcomes publication of the Food Vision Dairy Report
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