Minister Creed announces the roll-out of ASSAP

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The Minister for Agriculture, Food & Marine, Michael Creed TD, has today recently announced the roll-out of an innovative collaboration between Government and industry delivering 30 new ‘Agricultural Sustainability Advisors’ to work with farmers across the country. These advisors will oversee the implementation of a Programme aimed at encouraging sustainable farming, while meeting stringent water quality requirements on over 5,000 farms nationwide.

In summary the details of the scheme are:

  • 30 advisors have been appointed to provide free nitrates advice to 5,000 farmers under the Agricultural Sustainability Support & Advisory Programme (ASSAP)
  • Dairy farmers can now receive free, confidential advice from the advisors under the scheme which is funded jointly by the Government, Glanbia and other dairy processors
  • The advisors will oversee the implementation of the programme which is aimed at encouraging sustainable farming, while meeting stringent water quality requirements on over 5,000 farms nationwide
  • The objective is to support best farming practice and minimise its impact on water quality
  • At the end of a farm visit the advisor and farmer will agree on where the farmer should best focus improvements or actions, if any are required, on the farm
  • The practical advice will be designed to “break the pathway” and prevent nutrients from entering water
  • Examples of such measures include riparian margins along streams, fencing off of cattle access to streams, more suitable siting of troughs and feeders, improved use of fertilisers and slurries – timing, location and rates of application, etc.
  • The ASSAP scheme arises from the River Basin Management Plan for Ireland 2018-2021. The plan identied that agriculture is a significant pressure in over 50% of waters at risk of not meeting their ecological target of ‘good’ status by 2027
  • In accordance with the Water Framework Directive (Directive 2000/60/EC establishing a framework for Community action in the _ eld of water policy), this plan sets out comprehensive programmes of measures to enhance the quality of water in Ireland’s rivers, lakes, estuaries, coastal waters and groundwater

 

Glanbia have appointed Emma O’Grady as the dedicated ASSAP advisor for the Glanbia Ireland.

First Published 19 November 2018

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