Lakeland Dairies will host an information and education event next month focused on the importance of protecting and enhancing water quality.
The event is due to take place on the farm of award-winning Lakeland Dairies supplier Eugene Fitzpatrick, who is based at Lisryan, Granard, Co. Longford at 1:00p.m on Friday, May 10.
Those in attendance will hear about the efforts that farmers availing of the nitrates derogation, including Eugene, are taking to protect water quality.
Farm
Eugene and the Fitzpatrick family, previously won the Lakeland Dairies Milk Quality Award and also represented the co-op at the Kerrygold / NDC Quality Milk Awards.
Eugene has “a highly progressive approach” towards slurry management and nitrogen efficiency.
He applies all his slurry using a dribble bar and around 80% of slurry is applied in spring.
By focusing on grassland management, the farmer has seen his grazing season extended in recent years.
As well as regularly soil sampling the farm, Eugene also uses protected urea. The farmer uses sexed semen on his heifers and he has seen his Economic Breeding Index (EBI) increase also.
Water quality
Lakeland Dairies said that the event, which is open to all farmers, will aim to highlight the importance of the entire dairy industry in driving a balanced regional economy.
The processor added that political figures including those running in the upcoming local and European elections are “being strongly encouraged to attend”.
Speakers at the event will include the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s (DAFM’s) water quality division, Eddie Burgess from the Teagasc agricultural catchment programme and Dr. Joe Patton, head of dairy knowledge transfer with Teagasc, along with senior Lakeland Dairies staff.
Lakeland Dairies chair Niall Matthews said that the foundation of Ireland’s dairy industry is the protection and improvement of water quality.
“As a co-op and as an industry, we are constantly striving to make improvements to our water quality, which is already good by EU standards,” he said.
“The importance of the derogation cannot be underestimated. The derogation allows Ireland to maximise our truly unique grass-based system.
“This needs to be recognised and protected. Therefore, we are calling on all political figures nationally and locally to attend this critical meeting to see first-hand how dairying is breathing life in rural communities in every county in the country,” Matthews added.
Ireland’s nitrates derogation will again be subject to review by the European Commission in 2025.
To maintain the revised stocking rate of 220kg of organic nitrogen (N)/ha, Ireland will be required to present verifiable evidence to the EU Commission that water quality is improving in areas of concern.