Applications Open for Farm Innovation Visit on Soil Health and Water Quality

Date published: 7 October 2024

The College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) will lead a Farm Innovation Visit (FIV) to County Wicklow to learn how farmers participating on the Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advisory Programme (ASSAP) are making management changes to improve water quality in local catchments.

With water quality problems in Lough Neagh the visit will focus on giving farmers the knowledge to identify the indicators of good and poor water quality.

There will also be a visit to a Dairy farm which is part of the Teagasc-Tirlán Future Farm Programme which aims to help dairy farmers harness advancements in technology and farm practices to improve water quality and make changes for a profitable and sustainable future

The second day of the visit will focus on soil health. There will be visits to arable and livestock farms in County Kildare to learn firsthand how input costs have been reduced on farm by using less fertiliser, herbicides and pesticides whilst maintaining profitable and viable businesses and increasing biodiversity.

Cereal crops grown on these farms include beans, oats, barley and wheat which are all established using minimal disturbance methods, for example, direct drilling or minimum-tillage. Multi-species cover crops are used to build fertility, enhance soil structure and soil biology.

Improving soil structure on farms and minimising compaction will improve water infiltration rates which allows farmland to cope with the more extreme rainfall and weather conditions we have been experiencing in recent years.

Applications are invited from one member or employee of a farm business that has over three hectares of land. Applicants must be aged over 18 on the application closing date and not in full-time education. Fifteen places are available on this trip and these will be allocated with preference given to those who meet the criteria.

To increase the benefits arising from the study tour, all applicants must identify a group of farmers to share their findings with upon their return.

The Farm Innovation Scheme, which is part of the NI Rural Development Programme will cover the costs associated with setting up the visit, accommodation, travel and meals. Participants will be expected to meet any additional costs, including farm relief and travel insurance.

Farmers interested in participating can find out more details and complete an application form on the nidirect website.

Applications close at 4:00pm on Friday 18 October 2024.