Teagasc will host an open day next month at Johnstown Castle focused on protecting soil health and improving water quality on farms.

The 'Farming for a Better Future 2026' open day is set for Co. Wexford on June 10, starting at 10:00a.m.

The theme of this year’s open day at the Teagasc environment, soils and land use research centre is ‘Innovating for Healthy Soils and Clean Water’.

The event will demonstrate how to build resilient soils and improve water quality across dairy-beef, organic, spring and winter milk and tillage farming systems.

Open day at Johnstown Castle

Dr. Karen Daly, head of the Teagasc environment, soils and land use research department, said: “Our team at Teagasc Johnstown will demonstrate actions and technologies in cross-cutting themes in gaseous emissions, farmland biodiversity, grassland swards, and manure management.

"The co-benefits of technologies and actions across the topics will be identified along the route on the day.

"We invite all farmers and all those working in the agriculture and farming sector to attend the open day on June 10."

Achieving healthy soils

Dr. David Wall, enterprise leader at Teagasc Johnstown Castle, said the open day will showcase the supports available to farmers across a range of farm systems.

He said farmers will get the "latest information on sustainable fertiliser technologies" and learn about key management practices for achieving healthy soils.

They will learn about the Better Farming for Water Campaign strategies to "mitigate losses of phosphorus, sediment and nitrogen to water under three pillars of our water quality campaign: nutrient management; farmyard management; and land management".

Grassland management

The Teagasc research programme and practical advice in relation to soil health, water quality, greenhouse gases and ammonia emissions and enhancing biodiversity will be outlined for grassland and tillage systems. 

Grassland management, red and white clover and multispecies swards, winter and spring dairy systems, dairy-beef systems and organic farming systems will be highlighted.

Research on manure, bio-based fertilisers and soil amendments will also be discussed.