Over 17,000 farms join AgNav, with private advisers to gain access

A total of 17,250 farms have signed up to the AgNav tool which measures the carbon footprints of farms. The tool developed by Teagasc, Bord Bia and ICBF was first launched in March 2023. At that time, AgNav catered for dairy and beef farmers only.

In June 2025, it was launched for tillage farmers. Sheep farmers will be able to access AgNav in 2026 and Natasha Browne of Teagasc told the Farming for a Better Climate conference on Tuesday that the priority for AgNav is to develop tools for the sheep, pigs, poultry, forestry and horticulture sectors.

The tool will also be used to provide environmental indicators for farmers that will assess biodiversity, nutrient balances, economic and social indicators and below and above ground carbon.

Natasha noted that private advisers are expected to have free access to AgNav in 2026 and details are likely to be released in the first quarter of the year. This should help to increase the number of farmers signing up the tool.

Natasha noted that farmers do not need to worry about their data being shared outside of the AgNav tool. She explained that a new section of the AgNav tool includes farmers seeing their data and who has access to it. No data can be shared without farmer consent.

Why is AgNav important?

Irish farmers are making many changes to improve their environmental credentials. Aside from farmers’ own innovations, programmes and schemes from industry, the Department and the EU are all seeing major changes made on farms.

Mick Houlihan who manages agri sustainability at Bord Bia told the conference that AgNav is essential as Irish farmers need to prove that they are making these improvements.

He explained that retail customers need evidence of improvements and top of their agenda is how Irish products can reduce their carbon footprint and help them to reach their carbon reduction goals. Mick explained that AgNav can help to deliver proof of changes in carbon footprint.

He explained that once a product gets onto a shop shelf you have seconds to make your product stand out and meet the customers’ needs. He said price and quality will always be top of the list for consumers, but there is a cohort of shoppers interested in the carbon footprint, animal welfare and biodiversity.