President of the IFA says new Teagasc Water Campaign must be embraced by all

Teagasc have today launched the ‘Better Farming for Water’ campaign. The campaign aims to “support and accelerate” the implementation of actions to improve the quality of all bodies of water on farms. “The objective of the ‘Better Farming for Water’ campaign will be to support all farmers to reduce the loads of nitrogen, phosphate, sediment and pesticides entering our river network through either diffuse or point source pathways from agricultural sources.” This aim will be achieved through the adoption of “8 Actions for Change”. These actions include reducing surplus nitrogen and phosphorus per hectare, ensuring soil fertility, ensuring the proper conditions for and application of fertilisers and manure, sufficient slurry and soiled water storage capacity, minimising nutrient loss from farmyards and roadways, fencing off watercourses to prevent livestock access, promote targeted use of mitigation actions, maintenance of over winter green cover to reduce nutrient leaching from soils.

President of the IFA, Francie Gorman spoke at the launch today, citing the importance of this campaign for the provision of targeted advice for farmers. He made it clear that “everyone needs to get behind it to make it work” and urged the “Department of Agriculture” and “all arms of the State” to “step up to the plate”.

Mr. Gorman then referred to the delays in the “planning process” and the TAMS( Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme) scheme noting how these are “slowing farmers down in carrying out environmental works on their farms.” 

“The reality is that we need to be able to develop our farm businesses while improving water quality. Reducing farming activity is not the answer. The economic and social contribution of farming in rural areas will not be replaced by anything else. That’s why this campaign is so important.”