Teagasc Signpost Programme Newsletter August 2022
In this month’s newsletter we have an article encouraging all farmers to take just one action on their farm to reduce emissions this Autumn as well as a useful article on cover crops; 3 Signpost farmers profiled. Our climate actions focus on catch crops, liming, building Autumn grass and more here
Issue 13 - August 2022
In this month’s newsletter we have an article encouraging all farmers to take just one action on their farm to reduce emissions this Autumn as well as a useful article on cover crops and getting the most from them. We profile 3 Signpost farmers, Dermot Herlihy, Poultry farmer from Louth, Steven Fitzgerald, Dairy farmer from Waterford and Vincent Macken, Tillage farmer from Meath. Our climate actions focus on catch crops, liming, building Autumn grass, emptying slurry tanks and getting a handle on animal health. We share some useful graphics on the 12 steps to reducing greenhouse gas emissions on dairy, beef and sheep farms. The decision support tool for August is the Forest Carbon Tool, designed to user-define descriptive information on the forest and combines it with existing growth models to estimate potential carbon storage over the lifetime of the forest. We bring you the video recorded highlights from BEEF2022 as well as the proceedings, in case you missed the event. This month on the Environment Edge, Ruth Wilson, Farmland Pollinator Officer with the National Biodiversity Data Centre discusses the importance of pollinators in our ecosystems
Taking the first step to reducing emissions on your farm
The EPA report released on the 21st July was stark. Greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from Agriculture (as well as other sectors) continues to rise. For 2021, emissions from Agriculture increased by 3% to 20.5 MTCO2eq compared to 2020 levels. This is going in the wrong direction.
Early establishment of green covers most beneficial
Maintaining a green cover over the winter period has many environmental, agronomic and economic benefits
- Read more here about Bellview Eggs Poultry Farm
- Read more here about Steven Fitzgerald
- Read more here about Vincent Macken
Climate Actions for August
Each month, we present climate actions that farmers can take to reduce gaseous emissions. These actions will be practical and timely. See below climate actions for the month of August
Read the full Climate Actions for August here
The Forest Carbon Tool
This tool provides indicative information only and is not intended to provide definitive estimates on any particular forest. The tool has been developed to contribute to the provision of general information on the capacity of forests to store carbon. It also highlights the complexities and challenges of estimating carbon across different species, soil types and ages.
BEEF2022
Key Messages from BEEF2022
Proceedings from BEEF2022
Check out the proceedings from BEEF2022, outlining all current and future technologies including advice on Environment, Grassland, Suckling Systems, Dairy-Beef Systems, Growing & Finishing Cattle, Meat Quality, Advisory, Education & Policy and best practices for Health and Safety on beef farms.
Signpost Programme Update
The Signpost Team led a very successful village at BEEF2022. The Village highlighted the roadmap to achieving our emissions targets to 2030 and beyond. There was a focus on the actions that farmers can take right now to reduce emissions and also the emerging technologies that will be available to us over the coming years.
The Environment Edge Podcast
Pollinators provide a vital ecosystem service to the agricultural industry but are we doing enough to help our pollinators and the wider biodiversity on farms across the country. Ruth Wilson, Farmland Pollinator Officer with the National Biodiversity Data Centre working on the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan joins Deirdre & Cathal to discuss what we can do on the farm and other initiatives going on to help our pollinators.
Signpost Programme Partners
The Signpost Programme is a collaborative partnership of farmers, industry and State Agencies, working together for climate action.
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The Teagasc Signpost Programme e-Newsletter will issue monthly and you can read it here each month on on Teagasc Daily.
