The Teagasc Environment, Soils and Land Use Research Centre at Johnstown Castle, Co. Wexford will host an open day focused on sustainability next month.
The event entitled, ‘Farming for a Better Future 2024’, which is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, July 16, was officially launched this week.
The open day will demonstrate technologies and practices for efficient, environmentally sustainable, profitable and more resilient farming systems, and the supports available to implement them.
Johnstown Castle
Teagasc has said that the event aims to build understanding of the environmental challenges faced by the sector and to provide support to farmers.
Attendees will be updated on the latest practices and technologies identified by research, and tested at field and farm system scales.
The event will discuss practical management of dairy systems, the calf-to-beef herd and the new organic beef finishing trial at the Teagasc Johnstown Castle Research Centre.
Teagasc has also encouraged tillage farmers to attend as there will be a focus on soil health, crop nutrition and cover crop establishment and management.
There will be a range of exhibits for farmers to view at the open day covering various topics, including:
- Management of red and white clover and multispecies swards;
- Fertiliser and manure technologies;
- Better farming for water: 8 actions for change;
- Biodiversity;
- Dairy and dairy-beef systems;
- Teagasc advisory and education;
- Health and safety for sustainable farming.
Launching the open day, Teagasc director Prof. Frank O’Mara said that farmers are being increasingly asked to change and adapt their farming practices to reduce impacts on the natural environment.
“The science underpinning some of these requested changes arises from the research undertaken by Teagasc in the Environment, Soils and Land Use Research Centre, Johnstown Castle, and in its other research centres.
“This open day will bring together all of this available knowledge, with simple practical advice and messages for farmers to consider,” he said.