LATEST ARTICLES
Farm Programmes
Footprint Farmers protect water quality with riparian zones
Emma Hart
'Riparian zone measures can offer farmers guaranteed income for land that is often wet or difficult to maintain, while also protecting water quality, reducing flood risk and boosting biodiversity'.
10 April 2024 Footprint Farmers
Beyond N, P and K: balancing the living army in our soils
Balancing soil chemistry is vital for optimising the use of inputs, but there’s also a growing awareness of the importance of nurturing the living component of our soils, writes Emma Hart.
27 March 2024 Footprint Farmers
Navigating soil test results on Footprint Farms
Good nutrient management is about measuring what you can (soil, slurry and crops) and adjusting year on year to improve efficiency and minimise environmental impact across the entire system.
Soil test results: 34% of samples at optimum P, K and pH on Footprint Farms
Using soil test results to target fertiliser applications can boost soil fertility, reduce costs and minimise environmental damage, writes Emma Hart.
13 March 2024 Footprint Farmers
Testing slurry and silage for targeted efficiency
Slurry is both a valuable asset and a potential pollutant. Understanding the composition and quality of your slurry is key to maximising its value while minimising environmental impact.
28 February 2024 Footprint Farmers
Planting trees to capture ammonia on Limerick dairy farm
Planting a tree belt can be an effective way to reduce ammonia emissions from farm buildings, while simultaneously providing a lively habitat for biodiversity, writes Emma Hart.
14 February 2024 Footprint Farmers
A record-breaking 2023: our warmer world means weirder weather
Ultimately, lived experience of changing weather patterns could change farming practices far faster than any scheme, payment or regulation.
31 January 2024 Footprint Farmers
Irreplaceable value of old native woodland
Once lost, the rich tapestry of life that characterises ancient woodland cannot be restored within our lifetimes, or even those of our children or grandchildren.
17 January 2024 Footprint Farmers
Tree planting:native species for biodiversity, native provenance for biosecurity
There is a simple reason why native trees are better for biodiversity: they have co-evolved with the native flora and fauna of Ireland over many thousands of years, writes Emma Hart
20 December 2023 Footprint Farmers
Disease risk from imported whitethorn
ACRES is a scheme conceptualised to help address widespread biodiversity decline in Ireland. Importing disease risk to meet tree planting targets seems a case of robbing Peter to pay Paul.
20 December 2023 Footprint Farmers
Plant diversity is key to soil health
Diverse planting practices have been at the core of our food production systems for thousands of years, writes Emma Hart.
6 December 2023 Footprint Farmers
Seeds of sustainability in west Cork
Madeline McKeever’s farming journey has been guided by a lifelong commitment to sustainability, and the diversity of her 30ac enterprise is testament to her efforts, writes Brendan Dunford.
29 November 2023 Footprint Farmers