Up to 20 beef farms around the country are to be identified to participate as suckler beef demonstration farms which will be a key element to the new Teagasc Signpost programme.
The demo farm programme is currently the subject of discussions between Teagasc and the Irish meat industry.
Suckler farms
Confirming the news to Agriland a spokesperson for the agricultural authority said:
“Teagasc is in discussions with the meat industry with a view to establishing a new suckler beef demonstration farm programme as part of the overall Signpost programme.
“Up to 20 beef demonstration farms across the country will be identified to participate.
“The Signpost programme will lead, support and enable Irish farmers to reduce their agricultural emissions, while improving water quality, managing biodiversity on their farms, and farming in an economically sustainably manner.”
The spokesperson added that the 20 Signpost beef demonstration farms will have a dual role.
Firstly they will play a key role in adopting new science-based technologies to reduce beef production’s environmental footprint.
In addition they will be vital to spreading best practices and innovative farming approaches to all beef farmers, the Teagasc representative concluded.
Signpost programme
According to Teagasc, the Signpost Programme will be a multi-annual campaign to prompt climate action by all Irish farmers, and achieve early progress in reducing gaseous emissions from Irish agriculture.
This, Teagasc says, will be done while also improving water quality, maintaining – and in some cases improving – biodiversity and creating more profitable and sustainable farming enterprises.