A national water quality conference will take place this month focused on policy and regulatory challenges for agriculture in Ireland.

Teagasc is hosting the event on Wednesday, October 29, in the Heritage Hotel, Killenard, Co. Laois.

It is being organised as part of the Better Farming for Water - 8 Actions for Change Campaign and will be of interest to policymakers, scientists, advisors and farmers. 

This conference aims to explore innovative solutions to enhance water quality in agricultural landscapes, and to respond to the growing need for sustainable water management practices within Irish agriculture.

Teagasc said the event will focus on key three themes, the first being policy and regulatory challenges.

Ireland faces increasing regulatory focus from both EU and national bodies to improve the quality of water, with agriculture identified as a key pressure.

Conference speakers will address:

Delivering water quality improvements – national and EU policy drivers;
Water quality in Ireland – pressures, trends and targeting measures;
Update on Ireland’s 6th Nitrates Action Programme and the Nitrates Derogation renewal.

The second key focus will be catchment science in practice.

This session will explore how scientific research is being used to assess and improve water quality outcomes.

Presentations will include:

New Zealand's approach to improve quality of water in an agricultural catchment landscape;
Insights from the Agricultural Catchments Programme long-term monitoring.

The third key area of focus will be supporting farmers to improve quality of waterbodies through research and advisory services.

Teagasc’s advisory and research teams will showcase the tools, knowledge transfer methods and supports available to help farmers take practical, cost-effective steps toward improving water quality.

Highlights will include:

Targeted advisory support through the Better Farming for Water campaign;
Working with farmers to improve water quality through the Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advisory Programme and the Farming for Water EIP and farmer engagement strategies;
Update on slurry and soiled water requirements for livestock in Ireland and its potential to improve nutrient use efficiency;
Modelling the impact of Nitrates Action Programme measures (2017 to 2025) on the potential to improve water quality.

Speaking in advance of the water conference, Professor Pat Dillon, director of research at Teagasc, said: “Improving water quality in Ireland demands a collaborative, multi-actor approach involving advisory bodies, researchers, industry stakeholders, regulators and local communities.

"This conference serves as a platform to unite these key actors, fostering discussion and providing direction to address the challenges and identify practical solutions for reducing agriculture’s impact on water quality."

Tim Hyde, environment specialist at Teagasc, added that the conference provides a "critical platform to align scientific knowledge, regulatory frameworks and practical farming approaches to protect and improve water quality".

"Our focus is on solutions that are evidence-based, achievable, and farmer-led," Hyde said. 

"Farmers want to know what the quality of the water [is] in the stream or river that flows through their farm and community.

"Farmers take pride in protecting the natural environment.”

Noel Meehan, head of the water quality knowledge transfer department in Teagasc, said that the Better Farming for Water campaign is supporting farmers to adopt measures to improve all water bodies, where agriculture is a significant pressure, to good or high ecological status.

"I see significant buy-in from farmers, industry and the other stakeholders in the agriculture sector, combined with a determination to succeed in delivering improved quality," Meehan said.