Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon has said the Boyne Catchment Action Plan is an example of efforts to address water quality that will “support Ireland in securing a further nitrates derogation”.

He made the comments at the launch of the action plan, as part of the Better Farming for Water Campaign, at Teagasc Grange in Co. Meath today (January 14).

Minister Heydon said: “Water quality is a necessary deciding factor in the continued success and future ambition of our agri-food sector.

“Not one part of the agri-food industry is immune to the impact that decreasing water quality will have, so no one farmer or sector can be immune to acting.

“The Boyne Catchment Action Plan, as part of the Better Farming for Water Campaign, is an example of a collective effort to address water quality and support Ireland in securing a further nitrates derogation that is crucial to farmers and Ireland’s wider dairy, drystock and tillage sectors.”

Teagasc director Prof. Frank O’Mara added: “I would like to express my appreciation to my colleagues in Teagasc for their invaluable contribution to developing the Boyne Catchment Action Plan.

“I also wish to acknowledge the members of the Boyne Catchment Implementation Group Oversight Committee for generously volunteering their time and expertise to support the plan’s implementation.

“I wish everyone involved success in achieving the ambitious targets set out in this comprehensive plan.”

The Boyne Catchment Action Plan as part of the Better Farming for Water Campaign was officially launched by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon T.D, at Teagasc Grange today, Wednesday 14th of January. Pictured at the launch are Professor Frank O’Mara, Teagasc Director; Jim Bergin, Chairman of the Better Farming for Water Stakeholder Steering Group; Martin Heydon T.D, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine; John Horgan, Chairman of the Boyne Implementation Group; and Fiona Doolan, Catchment Coordinator for the Boyne Catchment, Teagasc. — (l-r) Prof. Frank O’Mara, director, Teagasc; Jim Bergin, chair of the Better Farming for Water Stakeholder Steering Group; Martin Heydon, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine; John Horgan, chair of the Boyne Implementation Group; and Fiona Doolan, catchment coordinator for the Boyne Catchment, Teagasc.

Better Farming for Water Stakeholder Steering Group chair Jim Bergin said: “Irish farmers have shown great resilience in adapting significantly to a changing business environment over many years.

“I look forward to them taking the appropriate actions to address water quality on the Boyne Catchment to deliver good water status for their families and the communities of the north east.”

Better Farming for Water Campaign

Establishing specific catchment campaigns is a key initiative of the Better Farming for Water Campaign, which has the overall aim of supporting and accelerating the adoption of actions on all farms to improve all water bodies, where agriculture is a significant pressure.

The Boyne is one of eight priority catchments, along with the Slaney, Barrow, Nore, Suir, Blackwater, Lee and Bandon-Ilen, that have been highlighted by the EPA as a ‘catchment of concern’ where tailored workplans will set targets and timelines for implementing water improvement measures.

The campaigns that will run in each of these catchments are intended to improve local and national water quality.

Rising in Carbury, Co. Kildare, the Boyne is approximately 112km long and features a network of 114 smaller waterbodies totalling over an additional 300km.

The land area drained by the Boyne and its tributaries is approximately 2,700km² or 650,000ac, owned and farmed by generations of farming families.

The Boyne Catchment Implementation Group is chaired by John Horgan, chair of Kepak Group, in collaboration with key stakeholders that include farmers, Teagasc, agri-food industries in the catchment, ACA (architectural agricultural areas), LAWPRO (Local Authority Waters Programme), County Councils, and the wider community supported by a dedicated Teagasc catchment coordinator.

At the launch, a booklet was released outlining the six pillars of the Boyne Catchment programme.

This includes stakeholder engagement using a multi-actor approach; building awareness using detailed maps on water quality; and upskilling programmes for farmers, advisers, teachers, and industry professionals.

Other pillars include an impactful knowledge-transfer programme; a supporting research programme and a communications plan.

Better Farming for Water Campaign

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