Farming and the Environment is the Focus of Teagasc Research at Johnstown Castle

Dr. Noel Culleton, Head,Teagasc Johnstown Castle Environment Research Centre, in welcoming a group of International Grassland experts to Teagasc Johnstown Castle to-day (Wednesday 29 June) said that environmental considerations are playing an increasing role in todays farming. He explained that the function of the research at Teagasc Johnstown Castle is to help farmers devise methodologies and strategies to ensure that farming can be conducted in a way that damage to the environment is minimised.

He told the group, who are attending the XX International Grassland Congress in UCD that the main areas of research at the centre include Nutrient Efficiency, Water Quality, Gaseous Emissions and Agro Ecology.

“Research at Johnstown Castle is identifying processes and pathways of phosphorus and nitrogen loss to water and will aid farmers in minimising losses by fine tuning nutrient management”, said Dr. Culleton.

Continuing, he said “the reduction of gaseous emissions is now receiving increasingly urgent attention in all sectors of economy and agriculture can positively contribute to such reductions. Our current research at Teagasc Johnstown Castle is underpinning management techniques to mitigate emissions of greenhouse gases and ammonia”.

Farming in the rural environment plays an important role in maintaining farmland wildlife and landscape quality. “Our research aims to investigate the agricultural benefits of biodiversity, it also helps policy makers in the drafting of new policies and to identity practical management strategies to maintain it”, said the Teagasc Researcher.

Dr. Culleton also told the group that with E.U. and national legislation increasingly governing the interaction between agriculture and the environment – “Research at Johnstown Castle provides data and knowledge in support of agri-environmental policy and practices”, he said.

In conclusion, Dr. Culleton told the group that emerging areas of research include increasing efficiency of nutrients in slurry, soil quality, mini catchment studies, management of soiled water and organic farming.

Ends

Issued by

Larry O’Loughlin, A/Head, Public Relations Department, Teagasc

Tel. 059 9183408; 087 2562434; Email: loloughlin@hq.teagasc.ie