Improving Farm Sustainability
Type Booklet
Practical tools for farmers
Download Publication (PDF)
Irish agriculture rightly has a global reputation for high environmental standards. However, these standards continue to become more stringent, and the expansion in dairying since milk quota removal is adding further pressure. Early action is key to meeting the environmental challenges of reducing greenhouse gas and ammonia emissions, increasing carbon capture, improving water quality, protecting and improving biodiversity.
There are a range of farm practices that dairy farmers can implement easily on their farms that can combine profitability gains while contributing to meeting these sustainability challenges. Some of these are outlined in this practical guide of what you can do on your farm to help meet the environmental challenges.
Practical measures include:
1. Improved EBI and extending the grazing season
2. Substituting clover for chemical fertiliser
3. Changing to protected urea
4. Reducing losses from slurry
5. Improved energy efficiency and renewable energy
6. Incorporating forestry and hedgerows on farm
7. Using the ASSAP advisors to help improve water quality
Farmers can improve both their profitability and improve the environmental sustainability of their farms through adopting these straight forward practices. Collectively, this can contribute to the dairy industry playing its part in Ireland meeting the national and international environmental challenges.