European Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Christophe Hansen, agriculture ministers from across the continent, European Parliament MEPs and farming organisations were among the near 100-strong delegation to visit UCD Lyons Farm on Monday 8 September.
The trip formed part of Ireland's presidency of the Council of the European Union, which saw a delegation of EU agriculture ministers observe how cutting-edge Irish research is helping shape the future of sustainable farming in Europe.
The 250-hectare research farm in Kildare is the only university-run farm in Ireland and acts as an interactive living laboratory for students and faculty alike, integrating hands-on training and innovation for the next generation of agricultural leaders.
Farm demonstrations and UCD research showcased during the visit included Ireland’s unique and sustainable grazed grass livestock system; Ireland’s competitive grass-based dairy production; Origin Green (which is Ireland’s sustainability programme for food and drink); as well as how animal health and welfare underpin a resilient livestock sector.
Grass-based system
“UCD Lyons Farm research clearly demonstrates how grass-based systems work in practice in terms of productivity, animal performance, nutrient use, emissions, soil health and resilience,” Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon commented on the visit.
“That gives Ireland an opportunity not only to build on its own farming strengths, but to generate evidence and experience that can inform the wider European transition.”
The visit highlighted the role universities can play in turning scientific research into practical solutions for European farms, food systems and rural communities.
Ministers were shown around the university farm, where researchers are progressing Ireland’s good-quality grazed grass system for livestock and they also saw how technology is helping farmers reduce costs and improve resilience.
The European Commission's new 2026 livestock strategy describes livestock as representing 40% of EU agricultural added value, €400bn in annual turnover, seven million jobs and four million livestock farms.
Against this backdrop, the visit to UCD Lyons Farm provided ministers with an opportunity to see how research and innovation are being used to address the competing demands of agriculture.
Tackling challenges facing farmers
“Lyons Farm is a living laboratory for agricultural research, allowing us to work with real farming systems and tackle the challenges facing farmers today,” dean of the school of agriculture and food science Karina Pierce said.
“From our grass-based livestock and dairy systems to animal health, welfare and sustainability, the research taking place here is about finding practical ways to produce high-quality food while reducing environmental impact.
“We are testing how changes in genetics, nutrition, grassland management and grazing intensity can help maintain animal productivity and farm viability under changing conditions.”
Ministers saw a grass-based dairy system operating and discussed with researchers how management decisions affect productivity, environmental performance and farm viability.
The research also showed how drought and prolonged soil moisture deficits affected grass growth, highlighting why resilience has to be part of the sustainability conversation.
Additionally, the delegation saw how UCD is using technology to measure environmental performance at the level of individual animals.
Lyons Farm has seven GreenFeed units capable of measuring methane and other gases from cattle and sheep in both pasture and indoor settings.
This event forms part of UCD’s programme of engagement during Ireland’s presidency of the Council of the European Union.