Tirlán suppliers who engage with the new Farm Support Service in the Slaney catchment could receive a minimum of €650 for taking positive water protection actions, a discussion group attended by over 30 farmers in North Wexford has heard…
Support is available for rainwater management, training and nutrient foot printing, suppliers from the Gorey area heard. The supports are part of a new Water EIP and were among many outlined as the group came together to work with Tirlán, Teagasc and other partners as part of the next step in the newly-launched Farming for Water River Slaney Project.
Suppliers gathered for the information-sharing event heard how their farm enterprises can become more economically and environmentally sustainable, while also improving water quality.
The Bann Discussion Group meeting on Alan & Cheryl Poole’s family farm is the first in a series of action-driven gatherings of farmer suppliers on the Slaney which the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has identified as “a catchments of concern” through its ongoing water monitoring programme.
One of the key factors that influenced investment and planning on the family farm when they took over was to ensure it was efficient and reduced stress on the family as well as on the river that flows just below the farmyard at Ballyowen, host, Cheryl Poole revealed.
“We always intended to have more slurry storage than we needed. It’s done now and it’s such a relief for us going forward. We don’t have that stress anymore and we don’t have to worry about or fuss over scraping our yard or worrying about any potential run-off. No matter what the weather, we’re covered.”
Teagasc Regional Manager, Ger Shortle, said there are water quality challenges in the Slaney catchment due to a number of factors, including the free-draining soil in the area.
“Reducing Nitrogen loss does take a whole-of-community effort. Availing of the Farming for Water EIP is a big focus for us. The big, vulnerable period for tillage is from when crops are cut to February time.
“The use of cover crops is crucial over this period to significantly take up Nitrogen. Approximately half of farms in Wexford have some tillage and we will be driving hard on the cover crop issue to give us a quick response.
“The River Slaney project is a great example of collaboration and has the potential to make a huge difference. Today’s fabulous turnout for a relatively small catchment is an indication that you, the farmers, want to make that difference, drive that change.”
The retention of Ireland’s Nitrates Derogation has been identified by suppliers in a recent Tirlán census as a key concern, particularly when making investment decisions on-farm, Thomas Ryan, Tirlán, told the discussion group gathered.
“We decided as a 100% farmer-owned co-op not just to be spectators in the ongoing discussions around the retention of the derogation. But to support our farm family suppliers with knowledge and expertise to improve on-farm economic and environmental performance, as part of a Farm Support Service. We stood up the Farming for Water River Slaney Project. Alan and Cheryl Poole, to their credit, have very much pioneered this project in the local community. This has contributed to a high level of active engagement by our farm family suppliers.
“A significant part of this project is the Farm Support Service, a Tirlán initiative in collaboration with Teagasc and LawPro. We have focused on six key areas – slurry storage, improving on-farm nutrient use, improving milk solids, our carbon footprint, biodiversity and on-farm critical source areas. We know that by focusing on these core areas we can enhance on-farm economic and environmental performance.”
He urged farmers in the catchment to get in touch with the Farm Support Service team and avail of the support, technical guidance and information available to help future proof their family farm businesses.
For more on the Farming for Water River Slaney Project visit www.tirlan.com or www.tirlanfarmlife.com
Wexford Weekly
This article was published by a member of the Wexford Weekly team.
