A major revamp of Teagasc’s flagship Signpost Programme has been confirmed by the State body.

Teagasc will reduce the “number of advisers dedicated solely to specialised climate and sustainability advisory roles”, the organisation admitted.

These changes will take place in parallel with “a greater integration of climate-related advice within the advisory programmes across all enterprises”, a Teagasc spokesperson admitted.

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However, Teagasc insisted that the Signpost Programme is continuing this year, and remained “a core element” of the organisation’s climate action strategy.

“It is being delivered through the Signpost demonstration farms, the Signpost advisory programme, the ongoing development of the AgNav platform, and the research and innovation work of the Teagasc Climate Centre,” the Teagasc spokesperson maintained.

The Teagasc spokesperson said the changes to the Signpost Programme were in response to the tighter budgetary pressures.

The Teagasc grant from the Department of Agriculture for 2026 was set at €165.5m – an increase of just €1m on the 2025 allocation.

“Like other areas across Teagasc, the 2026 budget allocation presents organisational challenges, including recruitment and operational costs,” the spokesperson said.

“Teagasc is therefore seeking efficiencies across programmes to maintain delivery and maximise impact.

“In that context, the delivery of Signpost Advisory Programme is being adapted to ensure the best use of available advisory resources,” he added.

“As more farmers have now engaged with AgNav, the emphasis of the Signpost Advisory Programme is increasingly moving from initial recruitment of farmers and familiarisation with farm-level emissions, towards supporting implementation and adoption of emissions-reducing technologies and best practice on farms,” the spokesperson explained.

Maximising outcomes

“This is aimed at maximising outcomes for farmers and progress on climate action at individual farm and overall national levels,” he added.

The spokesperson reiterated that the Signpost demonstration farms initiative was moving into its next phase.

“This will include updates to a number of joint industry programmes that form a key part of the stakeholder and partner engagement in the programme,” the Teagasc representative said.

“The Signpost Advisory Programme is also continuing to support farmers to use AgNav to understand their farm’s greenhouse gas profile and to identify practical actions to reduce emissions and improve efficiency,” the spokesperson maintained.