How Teagasc are Supporting Farmers to Improve Sustainability

Teagasc are supporting farmers to improve sustainability in a number of ways. Tom O’Dwyer, Head of Signpost Programme, Teagasc, and Pat Murphy Head of Environment Knowledge Transfer, Teagasc, give details on some of the resources available.

The Signpost Programme

The Signpost programme is a Teagasc-led, whole of industry partnership to support and enable farmers in climate action.  While the main focus is on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, it will also help with improving water quality and enhancing biodiversity on Irish farms.  You can find out more about the programme at www.teagasc.ie/signpost.

There are 3 main pillars to the programme:

1. Signpost Demonstration Farmers
2. Signpost Advisory campaign – Teagasc proposes to establish a new, targeted advisory service focussed on climate action and sustainability. This new service will provide training opportunities (to enhance farmer knowledge and skills and facilitate farmer-to-farmer learning) and targeted follow-up one-to-one support to farmers, leading to the creation of farm specific action plans.  This will augment current advisory activities and will be provided free-of-charge to all participating farmers.  Teagasc expects to launch this new service before the end of 2022.
3. National Agricultural Soil Carbon Observatory (NASCO) – this new on-farm research project aims to deepen the understanding of soil carbon sequestration. The Signpost Farms form an integral part of this Observatory.  Agronomic soil samples (to 10cm) have already been taken on the Signpost Farms to establish baseline soil carbon levels, and plans are in place for more detailed soil sampling (to 1m depth).  In addition, flux data from long-term eddy covariance towers will provide detailed information on carbon exchange at an ecosystem level; these towers will be located on a subset of the Signpost Farms.

There are 120 Signpost farmers that are the early adopters of the key technologies that will reduce emissions on farms.  These farms will demonstrate these technologies and highlight how its possible to be more environmentally sustainable while at the same time improve farm profit.

Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advisory Programme (ASSAP) 

The Agricultural Sustainability, Support and Advisory Programme (ASSAP) was established in a collaborative process between the state and the dairy processing co-ops, to provide an evidence-based approach to reducing agricultural pressures on water quality. The programme, working with the Local Authorities Water Programme (LAWPRO) offers farmer focused advice in 190 priority areas for action (PAAs) and is a critical, integral and parallel part of this collaborative process.  The ASSAP programme enables landowners to engage positively in seeking solutions to local problems with the support of a confidential sustainability advisory service focused on water quality improvement. Support from the farming organisations for the programme has been very strong and this is vital in communicating and informing farmers about the ASSAP programme and its key messages.

Agri-environment Scheme Support (ACRES) and Sustainable fertiliser planning 

Autumn 2022 has seen the introduction of a new Agri-environmental scheme; called ACRES.  There are two main components to the scheme. In eight areas the scheme will operate predominantly as a results-based scheme in high nature value landscapes.  In the rest of the country the scheme will be similar in approach to GLAS with priority access based on priority environmental assets, an element of results-based approach mixed with a range of action-based measures.    The scheme has set higher targets for outcomes than previous schemes and will incorporate the development of a sustainability plan for each farmer.  Teagasc advisers will support clients in the application and implementation of the scheme and in particular in ensuring that the scheme contributes to the achievement of key environmental targets  Teagasc advisers will also support farmers in meeting the requirements  of the new direct payments scheme (BISS) in relation to increasing requirements for cross compliance and for the Eco Schemes.

Discussion groups

Discussion groups are increasingly focussed on all elements of sustainability, including profitability, environmental sustainability and social sustainability.  Discussion group members gain new skills and expertise in a friendly and open environment, learn from the experiences of other farmers and are supported in trying out new ideas.  Teagasc research has identified higher rates of practice adoption and higher farm profit as benefits of group membership.  Contact your Teagasc Adviser about joining a group (if you are not a member) or ensure that your group focuses on the sustainability challenge (where you are already a member).

Find out more about Signpost Sustainability Week 2022

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