Teagasc has a lot to offer at the Tullamore Show
The Tullamore Show and FBD National Livestock Show takes place next Sunday, August 10, in Butterfield Estate, Blueball, Tullamore, Offaly. Teagasc will be present in various areas across the event.
At the Teagasc Advisory stand the focus at this year’s Tullamore Show is “From Cow to Table, Nature’s Way”. This year’s theme of the Teagasc Advisory stand at Tullamore Show is to showcase the positive contribution which the cow can make to feeding the nation in a sustainable way.
“We will display a range of products, both obvious and novel which are sustainably derived from the grass-fed Cow, from her milk, her meat and by products. The advisory staff will be on hand to answer any queries on the advice, training and broad range of supports Teagasc provides. The Teagasc advisory stand is located at L102,” a Teagasc spokesperson said of the stand.
The agriculture and food development authority for Ireland will also have an organic stand, In Ireland organic farming is enjoying increasing interest from farmers in recent years. At farm level the sector has experienced a large influx of new farmers with presently 5,700 farmers now farming approx. 5.6% of the utilisable agricultural area.
Organic farming can suit all systems regardless of soil type or location. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) financial incentive provided by the Organic Farming scheme is proving attractive to many farmers. This is a five-year stand-alone scheme and supports farmers with per hectare payments as well as a participation payment.
To discuss if, organic farming is an option for your farm, what are the key factors to consider, and what are the steps involved when converting to organics, call and have a chat with advisors from the Teagasc Organic Team who will be in the NOTS (National Organic Training Skillnet) Organic Village located at stand L54A.
Teagasc's Forestry section at the Tullamore Show wil be very intresting. The dedicated Forest and Energy section has been a popular attraction in the show since 2005 and has been coordinated by the Teagasc Forestry Development Department.
Teagasc forestry advisors will be on hand to discuss all aspects of forestry especially in relation to forest creation and management of existing forests. Teagasc research staff will also be there to discuss the important applied projects that they are currently undertaking. On the day, there will be plenty of opportunities to engage with Teagasc, on its dedicated stand and explore the many interactive props and information boards that will be on display.
The forest industry will be strongly represented with companies from the afforestation, management, harvesting and products sectors. The Renewable Energy sector will also be well represented by companies from the biomass, renewable heating and solar energy sectors. The Forestry and Energy Section will be located on rows W and X.
Teagasc will also be participating in the Sustainable Livestock Village. The Sustainable Livestock Village will see key agencies such as the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine, Teagasc, Bord Bia, ICBF, Animal Health Ireland, Meat industry Ireland and Dairy Industry Ireland working together to deliver clear, practical advice to farmers in relation to sustainability practices that can be adopted on their farm and highlight the supports available.
Teagasc are once again partners in the Sustainable Livestock Village at the Tullamore show. The Teagasc advisory and specialist team will showcase technologies that farmers can adopt to improve the environmental sustainability of their farms and improve their beef and lamb production. This includes a demonstration of AgNav, the online platform that provides farmers with support to identify mitigation strategies for their farm to deliver on climate action.
This year the Teagasc focus is on three areas:
Improving soil fertility using lime to correct soil pH
Improving silage quality to drive animal performance
Reducing the age of finish for beef cattle
Videos of some of the award-winning farmers in the Teagasc/ FBD Environmental Sustainability Awards will also be displayed and discussed.
Staff from both the Teagasc Signpost Programme – Farmers for Climate Action, and the Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advisory Programme (ASSAP) will be available to discuss measures farmers can adopt to reduce greenhouse gasses and improve water quality respectively.
The Teagasc Biodiversity display uis sure to be very popular. The Teagasc Biodiversity Display will also feature in the Sustainable Livestock Village at the show and comprises Ireland’s native flora and fauna which are found on farmland.
“If we want to retain native wildlife in the Irish countryside, we need to allow space for nature on farms and maintain habitats to allow farming and nature thrive side by side. The display also demonstrates Best Practice Management of our two hedge types in Ireland: Treeline hedges and Topped hedges – both of which are important for biodiversity and carbon,” the Teagasc spokesperson said.
The display this year will also include an archaeological exhibit from the Farming Rathcroghan Project (former EIP now funded by Just Transition) to include Built Heritage with Natural Heritage on farms.
Sustainable Village Speakers Corner
View the schedule of talks taking place in the Sustainable Village Speakers Corner:
11 am – Reducing your carbon footprint
12 noon – Does younger finishing make sense?
1pm – Protecting water quality on your farm
2pm – Developing a Sustainability plan for your farm
3 pm – Nurturing nature