Organic farm monitoring programme launched
Farm walks will be spread across the main farming enterprises of beef, dairy, sheep, and tillage, and will be geographically dispersed based on participating farms.
An organic farm monitoring programme with annual funding of €150,000 has been launched.
'Growing Organics' has been established to support and increase organic production in Ireland.
This is a five-year programme that will be led by Teagasc, with funding provided both by Teagasc and the Department of Agriculture.
Organic demonstration farms have been selected throughout the country to illustrate best practice and monitor key financial and environmental metrics.
These farms will focus on: grassland management; livestock nutrition; animal health and welfare; financial management; environmental sustainability; and crop management.
The results from the activities on the demonstration farms will be made available to all farmers and researchers in order to improve the data available on different aspects of organic farming.
"We had record attendances at our organic farm walk programme in 2022 including a national organic beef day last September," Minister of State Pippa Hackett said as she launched the programme.
"I would like to thank all those organic farmers who have held farm walks over the past number of years."
Ms Hackett said that farmers need to know what changes are required when they make the switch to organic farming, and that like any farming system, "there are challenges to be overcome".
"These will be openly discussed and potential solutions provided to farmers as part of this programme," she added.
Farm walks
Director of Teagasc Frank O’Mara said that the group of demonstration farmers will host farm walks and act as information hubs for other farms to learn from and follow.
The farm demonstrations will involve four regional farm walks a year, between May and November.
The walks will be spread across the main farming enterprises of beef, dairy, sheep, and tillage, and will be geographically dispersed based on participating farms.
These demonstrations will be jointly run and will be resourced and staffed by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Teagasc and Bord Bia.
In addition, the six new organic advisors appointed by Teagasc in the last 12 months will be organising approximately 24 farm walks across the country to allow farmers to attend local events.
These walks kick off on Tuesday, April 4, and full details are available on the Teagasc website.
