Delegates at the final EU Sustainable Dairy Symposium heard how farming and climate change mitigation work together in “comfortable co-existence”.
The conference, which was centred around the theme of ‘data in action’, was hosted by the Dairy Council for Northern Ireland (DCNI).
Speaking at the event, DCNI chief executive Ian Stevenson said comfortable co-existence is a “fitting description of the way climate change mitigation works hand in hand with productive and profitable farming whilst retaining the culture and identity of the farming family model”.
“It’s important when we talk about targets and emissions that we don’t lose sight of the fact that the dairy sector is made up of 3,200 dairy farming families, who are the fabric of rural Northern Ireland.”
The EU Sustainable Dairy Symposium was held at the Seagoe Hotel in Portadown, and was part of a multi-country European Milk Forum promotion programme aimed at highlighting the positive role of the dairy sector for climate action and the environment.
“As we reflect on the symposium and more broadly the past six years of the EU Sustainable Dairy Programme, the outlook is positive for the future sustainability of the sector,” Stevenson said.
“Our farmers and processors are following evidence-based guidance from the department and from knowledge and research institutions such as CAFRE and AFBI, investing in new technologies and implementing new processes all with the aim of being more sustainable.”
Speakers and discussion
Attendees heard from the deputy director of the agriculture policy division in the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), George Moffett, who gave a policy update on future farm support.
This includes initiatives such as the Soil Nutrient Health Scheme, Livestock Genetics Improvement Programme and the Carbon Benchmarking Programme.
Delegates also heard from Prof John Gilliland on the farmer-led Arc Zero programme and the findings related to measurement and use of data to help inform mitigations and policy development.
The event also saw the launch of the RSPB’s biodiversity guidelines, ‘Guide to Nature Positive Dairy Farming’ which have been developed in partnership with DCNI and the Nature Friendly Farming Network (NFFN).
To close the event, local farmers John Oliver from Limavady; Mark Blelock from Aldergrove; and David Thompson from Sion Mills, took part in a moderated discussion Stevenson.
The panel touched upon the impact of sustainability schemes on the ground and the challenges and opportunities they present for farmers.
It also discussed the importance of communication, the need for dairy farming to be profitable and appealing for current and future farming generations as well as ensuring farmers’ health and wellbeing is supported.