This year’s Teagasc Water Quality Conference will focus on farm compliance, reducing nutrient losses to water and the role of good farming practices in protecting water quality.

The event provides an opportunity to share experiences, discuss challenges and identify practical actions to improve water quality across Ireland. 

The conference will take place on Tuesday, November 24 at the Heritage Hotel, Killenard, Co. Laois.

The first session at the conference will focus on ‘Increasing Compliance with National Agricultural Inspections Programme (NAIP)’, with contributions from Cork County Council and Teagasc.

Farmers will be given practical advice on how to prepare for a farm inspection, and how to upgrade farm infrastructure to minimise nutrient loss to water.

A Co. Limerick dairy farmer will outline the improvements he made to the infrastructure on his farm. 

The second session will examine how to reduce nitrogen losses to water, by improving nitrogen (N) balances on grass-based production systems.

The role of cover crops in reducing N loss from tillage systems will also be discussed.

The conference will hear directly from a tillage farmer and a dairy farmer on what actions they have implemented on their farms. 

The third session at the water quality conference will look at ‘Environmental Policy and Compliance’.

There will also a presentation on be importance of the closed period for slurry spreading and a case study presented on the Moynalty Catchment of the river Boyne. 

Speaking in advance of the conference, head of the Teagasc water quality knowledge transfer department Noel Meehan said: “The Teagasc water quality conference is an opportunity for farmers, advisors, researchers and key stakeholders to share knowledge and practical solutions to improve water quality.

"The collective effort of everyone in the sector is important to achieving results, and I would urge as many as possible to attend this event on 24 November.”