{"id":1337453,"date":"2024-06-30T06:10:00","date_gmt":"2024-06-30T05:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.agriland.ie\/?p=1337453"},"modified":"2024-06-28T14:42:44","modified_gmt":"2024-06-28T13:42:44","slug":"farming-for-the-future-farm-walk-highlights-farmers-concerns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lightsail.agriland.ie\/farming-news\/farming-for-the-future-farm-walk-highlights-farmers-concerns\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Farming for the Future’ farm walk highlights farmers’ concerns"},"content":{"rendered":"\n


Agriland <\/em>attended the ‘Farming for the Future’ open farm walk and panel discussion, which highlighted the measures that can be taken on farm level to maintain the derogation and improve water quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The event took place at Donal Kavanagh’s farm in Baltinglass, Co. Wicklow, where farmers had the opportunity to ask challenging questions and concerns around the future of the derogation and water quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tirl\u00e1n\u2019s \u2018Farming for Water: River Slaney\u2019 project that is working to improve water quality in an effort to retain the Nitrates Derogation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speakers at the event included representatives from Tirl\u00e1n, Teagasc, the Department of Agriculture, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Irish Farmers\u2019 Association (IFA), the ICMSA and the Local Authority Waters Programme (LawPro).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tirl\u00e1n chair, John Murphy, addressing the crowd at the event<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The turnout at the event was a testament to how concerning the derogation and water quality is to farmers, and there seems to be an understanding among farmers that there needs to be changes made to fix water quality on the ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The understanding is that agriculture is undergoing a significant period of change and during the farm walk. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to a representative from Tirl\u00e1n, the stand out policy issue is the protection of water quality and the future of the nitrates derogation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The stand out question was whether it is possible to farm at the current 220kg of organic nitrogen (N)\/ha and deliver good water quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Securing nitrates derogation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Director of Teagasc, Dr. Frank O’Meara, talked us through how farmers can improve their nutrient management and nitrogen use efficiency through their ‘Better Farming For Water; 8 Actions for Change’ campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The eight actions include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n