Boyne Catchment Action Plan Launched – Better Farming for Water Campaign
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.
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, highlighted by the EPA as a ‘catchment of concern’ where tailored workplans will set clear targets and timelines for implementing water improvement measures. The campaigns that will run in each of these catchments are very important in efforts to improve local and national water quality.
The Boyne Catchment farmers are rightly very proud of the Boyne’s rich heritage. Rising in Carbury, County Kildare, the Boyne is approximately 112 kilometres long and features a network of 114 smaller waterbodies totalling over an additional 300 kilometres. The land area drained by the Boyne and its tributaries is approximately 2,700 square kilometres or 650,000 acres, owned and farmed by generations of farming families.
The Boyne Catchment Implementation Group is chaired by John Horgan, Chairman of Kepak Group, in collaboration with key stakeholders that include farmers, Teagasc, Agri-Food Industries in the catchment, ACA, LAWPRO, County Councils, and the wider community supported by a dedicated Teagasc Catchment Coordinator. The implementation of 8-Actions for Change that include improvements in nutrient, farmyard and land management will be critical in improving water quality.
Speaking at the launch, 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.”
Professor Frank O’Mara, Director of Teagasc said: “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.”
Chairman of the Boyne Implementation Group, John Horgan, Chairman of Kepak Group said: “The Boyne is more than a river, it is a living link to our past and future. With Kepak working as industry lead under the Better Farming for Water programme, we can protect its waters while unlocking its potential for sustainable farming, community life and lasting legacy.”
Chairman of the Better Farming for Water Stakeholder Steering Group, 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.”
At the launch, a comprehensive booklet was produced outlining the 6-Pillars of the Boyne Catchment programme that includes stakeholder engagement using a multi-actor approach, building awareness using detailed maps on water quality, upskilling programmes for farmers, advisors, teachers and industry professionals, an impactful KT programme, a supporting research programme and a communications plan.
Photo Caption: 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, pictured at the launch of the project..
You can find a copy of the booklet here
See video here for more: