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Continued growth in organic market demand
+10.5% in 2017 (Bord Bia, 2017)

Lack of knowledge on grass growing potential on Irish organic Beef farms

Ken Gill, BETTER farms programme- First organic farmer to be included.

EU Green New Deal includes a focus on increasing organic farming across

Organic Beef Processors: ABP & Slaney Meats

Average annual organic beef price 4.70/kg

New bonus for  organic Aberdeen Angus 10c/kg

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Red Clover
PRG & White Clover
Permanent Pasture
Agroforestry
Habitat

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Red clover silage
Potential of organic cereals...

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GPS map Farm

Start measuring grass

Grow more homegrown protein- increase red clover, potential of tillage.

More knowledge now available on diverse pastures

Include fodder crops for outwintering/reseeding

Increase in payments for Agroforestry

€660/ha premium

Change in enterprise- Organic Dairy/Tillage

Direct Sales

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Farm is one block

Low input costs

Low debt

Good housing facilities

Market demand for organic produce increasing annually

Young farmer- Green cert, MSc. Org Farming

Up to date soil testing

Attends Farm walks & Information days

Working off farm- additional income

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Mullagh, County Cavan

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Farmer works off farm

Instability of beef markets

Future of Organic Farming Scheme- currently closed. (Dec 2019)

Lack of Organic Focused Discussion Groups

Difficulty of reseeding in organic systems

Reliance on external nutrients- straw & slurry

Too many enterprises- lack of focus

Majority of farm is set stocked, lack of infrastructure.

Lamb currently sold to conventional market due to distance to organic processor.

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65 hectares

Stocking rate- 1.2 LU/ha

Certified Organic sine 1996

Suckler to Beef system

35 Spring calving Cows
35 <12mths
35 >12mths

Sheep

Agroforestry

Acidic Brown Soil

Free Draining

Good existing soil fertility

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General instability in global beef markets

Lack of competition in organic meat processors in Ireland

Extreme weather events

Increasing world demand for protein, organic systems cannot supply this?

Shortage of labour

Brexit

Majority of Irish organic beef goes to UK.

Imports of organic seed and feed come from UK

Increasing standards in conventional farming= closing gap. (DAFM, 2019)

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Farm to Fork

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Striving to be the first climate-neutral continent

Climate change and environmental degradation are an existential threat to Europe and the world. To overcome these challenges, the European Green Deal will transform the EU into a modern, resource-efficient and competitive economy, ensuring:

no net emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050

economic growth decoupled from resource use

no person and no place left behind

The European Green Deal is also our lifeline out of the COVID-19 pandemic. One third of the €1.8 trillion investments from the NextGenerationEU Recovery Plan, and the EU's seven-year budget will finance the European Green Deal.

The European Commission has adopted a set of proposals to make the EU's climate, energy, transport and taxation policies fit for reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels. More information on Delivering the European Green Deal.

Commission sets out key steps for managing climate risks to protect people and prosperity

12 March 2024 - The Commission has published a Communication on managing climate risks in Europe that sets out how the EU and its countries can implement policies that save lives, cut costs, and protect prosperity. It comes as a direct response to the first-ever European Climate Risk Assessment by the European Environment Agency. It also addresses the concerns that many Europeans have following last's year record temperatures and extreme weather events. The Commission is calling for action from all levels of government, the private sector and civil society to improve governance and tools for climate risk owners, manage risks across sectors and set the right preconditions to finance climate resilience.

Read more

Key figures

The first climate-neutral continent

net greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, compared to 1990 levels

additional trees to be planted in the EU by 2030

Timeline

1. The Council and the European Parliament reach a provisional political agreement on stricter CO2 emission performance standards for new cars and vans

2. The European Commission joins the European Climate Pact and pledges to make its operations climate neutral by 2030

3. Show 80 more items

Documents

Factsheets on Delivering the European Green Deal

Factsheet

A clear and complete repository of the thematic areas that are shaping the European Green Deal

Communication and roadmap on the European Green Deal

Download

Climate change and environmental degradation are an existential threat to Europe and the world. To overcome these challenges, the European Green Deal will transform the EU into a modern, resource-efficient and competitive economy, ensuring:

no net emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050

economic growth decoupled from resource use

no person and no place left behind

The European Green Deal is also our lifeline out of the COVID-19 pandemic. One third of the €1.8 trillion investments from the NextGenerationEU Recovery Plan, and the EU's seven-year budget will finance the European Green Deal.

Commission sets out key steps for managing climate risks to protect people and prosperity

12 March 2024 - The Commission has published a Communication on managing climate risks in Europe that sets out how the EU and its countries can implement policies that save lives, cut costs, and protect prosperity. It comes as a direct response to the first-ever European Climate Risk Assessment by the European Environment Agency. It also addresses the concerns that many Europeans have following last's year record temperatures and extreme weather events. The Commission is calling for action from all levels of government, the private sector and civil society to improve governance and tools for climate risk owners, manage risks across sectors and set the right preconditions to finance climate resilience.

Read more

Factsheets on Delivering the European Green Deal

Factsheet

A clear and complete repository of the thematic areas that are shaping the European Green Deal

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Discover the European Commission's proposals to transform the EU into a modern, resource-efficient and competitive economy while reaching climate neutrality by 2050.

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Soil Tests

Nutrient management plan

Grasstec digital mapping of farm

Set farm up on PBI

Infrastructure Plan

Year 2

Begin grass measuring on a regular basis

Temporary Fencing

Phase 1 of paddock fencing

Phase 1 additional drinkers

Increase importation of slurry/manure

Year 3

Continue grass walks- increase frequency

Continued use of PBI

Repeat Soil Tests

Broader testing for poor paddocks eg. mineral analysis, OM etc.

Year 4

Target paddocks for reseeding- increase red clover for silage

Use winter fodder crops to clean ground pre- reseeding or tillage

Investments in housing, grain storage

Look at micro level data at a macro level across farm

Quality of herbage grown etc

Year 5

Adjust stocking rate to maximize system based on collected data

Continue to measure grass & budget etc

Aim to reseed & rejuvenate 15% of farm per year

Continue to invest in infrastructure

Focus on non-grassland areas such as genetics, calving interval, animal health etc.

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The objectives over the next 5 years on this farm is to increase grass production in parallel with stocking rate.

Increased focus on grass measuring, grass budgeting, infrastructure and stock type is important.

Focus on reseeding the poor performing fields

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Set up account

Use Account!

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PastureBase Ireland. PastureBaseIreland is a grassland management decision support tool and a mechanism to capture background data on farms.