Tirlán highlights collaborative progress on sustainability at Farming for the Future on-farm event

The event brought together farmers, agri-experts, and industry sustainability leaders for a day of hands-on demonstrations, expert-led talks, and discussions on the family farm of Seamus Brennan, Attanagh, Co Laois.

John Murphy, Chair of Tirlán, said the strong turnout of over 400 suppliers, was an indication of the level of action underway on Tirlán suppliers’ farms and across the entire country.

“The numbers here today demonstrate our commitment to sustainability in the fullest sense – both economic and environmental sustainability. And we know this is so important as we are in the countdown to the decision regarding the renewal of the nitrates derogation in December.

“Improving the quality of our water is a must and the right thing to do. The retention of Nitrates Derogation at 220kgs or above is key and any renewal of the derogation post December must be workable on-farm and provide certainty.”

Speaking at the Tirlán event, Ireland MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú said: “Recent EPA reports show a substantial decline in nitrogen concentrations in selected rivers over the last 12 months when compared to 2023. Nitrogen concentrations levels in 2024 were comparable with 2016 levels.

“Farmers are adopting measures at farm level that is delivering continued improvements to water quality. We are on the right track and everyone should welcome that. Improved water quality is the key to securing Ireland's Nitrates Derogation beyond 2025.” 

Laois TD and Vice Chair of Joint Agricultural Committee, William Aird, said: “This was a fantastic day of awareness for farmers, the huge turnout, the quality of the questions and engagement with the speakers is all very encouraging. It shows that farmers are focused on enhancing water quality and will bring the information they got back onto their own farms. I’m very encouraged by what I heard and saw.”

Dr Lisa Koep, Chief ESG Officer at Tirlán, added that theTirlán-led, collaborative River Slaney: Farming for the Future project to enhance water quality was being expanded across the entire Tirlán catchment. 

“The River Slaney Project is an example of what can be achieved when farmers, advisors, local authorities, and industry partners come together with a shared purpose. The progress we’ve made in just one year shows the power of collaboration in driving meaningful, science-based action to protect our water and biodiversity for future generations.”

Ted Massey, Senior Inspector Water and Air Quality Division with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, gave an insight into the work underway by the Department in Europe saying: “The recent discussions with the European Commission and the Nitrates Committee have been focusing on Irish agriculture, our current nitrates action programme and the evolving context in Ireland.

“We have been focusing very much on our grass-based system, how we are different and how that grass-based system gives us a set of circumstances that justify and necessitate the continuation of our derogation. We highlighted the actions farmers have taken on farm and efforts like this event today. In addition, we focus on the level of engagement across the industry overall as we all seek to drive improvement in water quality and secure the continuation of our derogation into the future.”

The Commission’s visit to Ireland last September allowed them to see action on farm and the concerted, joined up actions to improve water quality, he added.

Jenny Deakin, Programme Manager with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said their early insights reports are showing “a very welcome reduction in nitrate levels” across the 20 key monitoring stations. She highlighted that both the EPA and the Commission look at water quality as a whole, including nitrates, phosphorous, fish, insects, plants and algae. “It’s not just nitrates that will be of interest when the time comes. We need to focus on broader water quality,” she said.

Conor Mulvihill, Director of Dairy Industry Ireland, said Ireland has six months to put the best case forward to retain the Nitrates Derogation. He said the coordinated effort between all bodies has been really encouraging to see. “Every single one of us is on the same path. Water quality and the improvement of water quality absolutely underpins the future of our family-based, grassed-based dairy industry.”

Both Rebecca Thomson of Kepak, representing Meat Industry Ireland, and Andy Doyle, Chair of Tillage Industry Ireland, highlighted the collaborative work underway across the Irish agriculture sector. Andy Doyle said the Farming for Water EIP has been very important to the tillage sector and highlighted the benefits of flexibility to catch crops. 

Host farmer, Seamus Brennan, and his family are farming in derogation and they have always gone that extra mile to keep things right, particularly when it comes to slurry and fertiliser use. “I’m hoping to invest in an underground tank soon to make more use of the slurry. We’re probably not getting as much out of it as we could – we’re probably spreading it that bit early. I’ll also look into solar. I’ve also put in an EIP application for other works.”