Teagasc Signpost Programme Newsletter January 2023
In this month’s Signpost newsletter Stan Lalor, Director of Knowledge Transfer, Teagasc, outlines the new Teagasc Signpost Advisory Programme.
Our decision support tool for Nutrient Management Planning (NMP) is now online. We provide advice on how to choose and plant native trees while helping to reduce carbon emissions. We have the monthly climate actions for January 2023. Also provided is a link and summary to the Climate Action Plan 2023. This month's research updates focus on feed additives to reduce methane emissions and the use of catch crops on tillage farms. This week’s Environment Edge podcast discusses ammonia emissions and the use of slurry additives.
Teagasc Signpost Advisory Programme
Teagasc are setting up a new, targeted advisory programme to support climate and sustainability actions on farms. This new public good programme will be available to all farmers and will build on the network of Signpost Demonstration Farms. Stan Lalor, Director of Knowledge Tranfer, Teagasc outlines the New Signpost Advisory Programme here.
Read more about this new Advisory Programme
Planting Native Trees
A focus of the ACRES scheme is the planting of native trees, which is an important consideration when trying to enhance biodiversity within the countryside, while also aiding in our fight to reduce carbon emissions. Here we outline the benefits of planting native trees and the correct way to undertake it. Read more here
Climate Actions for January
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 January.
Read the full Climate Actions for January here
Nutrient Management Planning
The Teagasc Nutrient Management Planning (NMP) Online tool allows agri-professionals to produce high quality nutrient management plans for farmers by combining their expert knowledge of soil fertility with a range of information sources. The Teagasc NMP Online tool has been designed for agri-professionals to assess the current nutrient balance of Irish farms and devise a fertiliser management programme that will optimise soil fertility and ensure compliance with the limits set under the Nitrates Regulations. The programme uses the latest in online mapping technology to produce a farmer friendly nutrient management plan along with colour coded maps.
Key benefits
- Efficiently complete complex nutrient calculations
- Access latest aerial imagery and mapping
- Create user friendly reports and maps
- Training & ongoing updates for all users
LIDAR
Airborne LIDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) surveys can accurately measure the physical characteristics of hedges. These physical characteristics can be converted to carbon holdings for hedgerows. Lidar measurements were completed on 7 farms in 2021, 20 farms in 2022 and more will be completed in the next few years
Research Updates
Irish products 'RumenGlas' and 'GasAbate' generating promising results in reducing methane emissions
Read more here
All farming sectors have to reduce nitrogen (N) loss to restore water bodies to a good status by 2027
Read more here
Climate Action Plan 2023
The Climate Action Plan implements the carbon budgets and sectoral emissions ceilings and sets out a roadmap for taking decisive action to halve our emissions by 2030 and reach net zero no later than 2050, as committed to in the Programme for Government. This plan sets out how Ireland can accelerate the actions that are required to respond to the climate crisis, putting climate solutions at the centre of Ireland’s social and economic development.
Read more here
The Environment Edge Podcast
We have heard warnings for a number of years now about the impact of Ash Dieback in Ireland but what’s the current situation. Teagasc forestry advisor John Casey joins the Environment Edge podcast to discuss and also gives an update on the recent government announcement of a 1.3 billion euro investment in Irish forestry
Listen to podcast here
Signpost Programme Partners
