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A new five-year programme launched by Glanbia and Teagasc on Friday will see 11 farmers put through their paces to deliver efficiency and best sustainable dairy farming.
Some of the farmers are very well known and respected in the Glanbia catchment area, while others are growing or developing farms.
Glanbia Ireland’s CEO Jim Bergin said: “Knowledge transfer networks provide key learning opportunities and a key objective of this programme is to help farmers implement changes to ensure that their environmental footprint is in line with the aims of the national climate action plan.”
Teagasc chair Liam Herlihy, also a Glanbia dairy farmer and former Glanbia chair, thanked the 11 farmers and their families.
Teagasc director Professor Gerry Boyle said: “Farming systems have to evolve to tackle multiple challenges and this is especially true now in relation to the multi-faceted sustainability challenge, including the need to improve water quality, reduce agricultural emissions and maintain biodiversity."
Reports
According to reports published on Friday, the 11 farms, which range in size from 120 to 320 cows, will be part of the EU-funded Smart Agri Hubs dairy project, with meters installed to monitor and improve water and energy usage.
It is also understood that a key priority in the programme will be to introduce digital technologies and practices, particularly in the area of labour efficiency.
Glanbia Ireland’s farm development manager John Murphy and Teagasc dairy business and technology adviser Richard O’Brien will manage and provide the technical services for the programme.
The last Glanbia Teagasc joint programme finished up last year (2018) and a final report was published.
It was expected that a follow-on programme would have launched late last year or earlier this year, but seemingly issues arose on farm selection and commitments the farmers had to make.
Earlier this spring, Teagasc pulled back from the Greenfield dairy programme, as Glanbia and the landowners sought to terminate the 15-year agreement in year nine.
The 11 farmers are Thomas Fennelly, Portarlington, Co Laois; Shane and John P Fitzgerald, Portlaw East, Co Waterford, Steven Fitzgerald, Aglish, Co Waterford; Donal Kavanagh, Baltinglass, Co Wicklow; Jack and Larry Kearney, Rathcormack, Co Cork; Cathal Moran, Skeoughvosteen, Co Kilkenny; Mathew and Declan Mullen, Kells, Co Meath; Kevin Murphy, Gorey, Co Wexford; Francis Nolan, Muckalee, Co Kilkenny; John Ryan, Gortnahoe, Co Tipperary; Shay Ryan, New Ross, Co Wexford.
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