Farm walks to highlight efficient and sustainable milk production
March 15, 2024
Environmental issues are becoming ever more prominent in farming discussions. There are challenges for producers across 4 main areas – carbon, air and water quality, and biodiversity. Fundamental to addressing these concerns is the need to maintain a resilient and profitable system of milk production. “Fortunately,” states Alan Agnew, Senior Dairying Development Adviser, CAFRE “the solution to some of these environmental challenges is to be found in improved technical efficiency, and with that comes improved profitability. There are classic ‘win-win’ opportunities that milk producers should be seeking to cash in on as milk payments, consumer expectations and statutory regulations all increasingly focus on the environmental impacts of our production systems”.
Several farm walks are being held to assist farmers to both understand the issues and highlight key practical measures that can improve environmental and financial performance on farm. The first 2 walks on “Efficient and Sustainable Milk Production” will be held on Wednesday 27th March on the farms of Mark Patterson, Drumcroon Road, Garvagh and James Murphy, Ballyreagh, Tempo. Both walks will start at 11:00am and dairy farmers are invited to enrol for the events on the CAFRE website, www.cafre.ac.uk/events Further events in counties, Armagh, Antrim, Down and Tyrone are planned for later in April.
During the meetings CAFRE advisers and technologists will be outlining the current physical, financial, and environmental performance of the farms. They will then identify key measures that already have or can be implemented to get the ‘dual benefits’ – improved profit and a better environment. These actions range across all aspects of diary production. From breeding and genetics, through feeding and nutrition, soil health and fertility, to swards and forage production.
“For a generation or more farm performance has been viewed in terms of key physical and financial parameters,” said Alan. “We now need to apply an environmental lens to the evaluation as well. Farmers may be expected to better account for the nutrient flows through their production system and the emissions that occur. Systems may need to be tweaked and adapted but I am confident, as these farms demonstrate, that there are sustainable and resilient milk production systems that enhance the environment and remain profitable and productive”.