A discussion is needed on making blackgrass a noxious weed. Those were the words of head of seed certification at the Department of Agriculture John Joe Byrne when asked if blackgrass would be declared a noxious weed at the Irish Seed Trade Association (ISTA) seminar in Co Carlow last week.

“It’s a discussion that probably needs to be had. It is something that will help in the control of the spread of the weed throughout the country,” he noted.

Referencing the Irish Farmers Journal article outlining the need for the invasive weed to be declared noxious, the Department official stated: “Putting it on the statute books itself isn’t going to control the weed.

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"Everyone in the room needs to take action, but notification may have a role and I think that was a key part of the article that was published.”

ACRES

A new higher voluntary standard scheme was announced by the ISTA at the event to ensure a zero tolerance for blackgrass in all cover crop mixtures assembled by its members.

Under ACRES, farmers planting catch crops have to adhere to certain mixtures and John Joe commented that specifying this seed, with a zero tolerance for blackgrass, be used under the scheme made sense.

He said that while he can’t guarantee it would happen, he would push for it.

“It’s something we can definitely talk to our colleagues on the environmental side about,” he added.