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Dairy Sustainability Ireland has been created under the Dairy Industry Ireland umbrella, with the support of Bord Bia, dairy processors and the Department of Agriculture.
The director of Dairy Industry Ireland Conor Mulvihill has said that he hopes the initiative will help to strengthen Ireland’s excellent reputation for grass-fed dairy production in a post-quota era, as dairy herds continue to increase in numbers.
Pilot programme
As part of the initiative, a pilot programme comprising of six of the biggest dairy processors – Aurivo, Carbery, Dairygold, Glanbia, Kerry and Lakeland – has been launched.
The programme will involve 180 of their milk suppliers, who will follow the initiative’s advice on targeted fertiliser application and water course protection.
Mulvihill said: “Studies confirm that better grass growth can be achieved at lower fertiliser cost.”
He went on to state that targeted fertiliser spreading and lime application on an average-sized 35ha farm could generate up to €42,175 in additional farm income over five years.
The suppliers will use advice from the initiative’s published guidebook Improving Soil Fertility and Protecting Water Quality as a key tool to help them achieve environmental targets on their farms.
Speaking at the event, Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed said: “This ground-breaking whole-of-sector, whole-of-government approach is another manifestation of the commitment to delivering on the environmental challenges we face.”
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