Local farmers, community and members of industry were informed of the €60m funding available to farmers under the 'Farming for water' European Innovation Partnership (EIP) at the Certified Irish Angus field event, which took place at Ruairi Lynch's farm in Moynalty, Co Meath, on Wednesday 25 June.

Hosted in conjunction with partners ABP Food Group and Kepak, Certified Irish Angus held the event to provide practical insights into improving water quality and ensuring agricultural compliance with environmental targets set at a European level.

Ruairi is one of 12,000 family farming members that Certified Irish Angus has nationwide, making it the largest producer group in the country.

Farming for water initiative

The EIP is providing funding of €60m to farmers to help improve water quality so that natural environments and biodiversity are enhanced while also supporting climate change mitigation efforts.

Certified Irish Angus held the event on the Lynch family farm due to its location along the banks of the River Borora on the Cavan and Meath border.

Teagasc and the Local Authority Waters Programme has highlighted this catchment as a key area of focus as its current moderate status demonstrates that the river is experiencing slight levels of pollution.

Agri programmes co-ordinator with Certified Irish Angus Mark McCoy opened the event and gave an overview of the dairy-beef enterprise on the farm.

He also demonstrated how soil type affects the level of nitrate and phosphate leaching that occurs on farm.

Kepak Group sustainability officer Luke McDermott highlighted the measures which had been implemented on farm, including a pasture pump and solar-powered fencer to eliminate livestock access to the river.

He outlined the funding available for 43 measures to farmers in a priority area for action under the EIP.

The fencing of riparian buffer zones and tree planting along the river were also completed on the farm.

ABP

Oisin Lynch and Jenny Cumiskey of ABP Food Group discussed the measures being completed on the ABP demo farm.

These included actions such as sediment traps and willow beds to prevent farmyard run-off entering the waterways.

Oisin Lynch also gave detail of the ABP sustainability scheme - the Advantage Beef Programme - and how their services such as soil sampling and slurry testing can boost farmers' efforts to improve water quality.

Catchment scientist with LAWPRO Barbara Olwill completed a kick sample of the Borora river to show attendants how water quality is measured and the key indicators.

Finally, catchment co-ordinator with Teagasc Fiona Doolan explained the purpose of buffer zones and how everyday tasks on farm can be altered to prevent sediment and nutrient run-off.