Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
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198. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine for an update regarding the ‘Better Farming for Water’ advisory programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36367/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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In early 2024, my Department requested Teagasc to lead a multi-actor water quality advisory campaign to deliver clear, simple and positive messaging to enhance the understanding of farmers, as well as the broader agri-food industry of the agriculture pressures on water quality and the need for improvement.

Arising from that request, Teagasc launched their Better Farming for Water 8-Actions for Change Campaign.

This campaign aims to support all farmers in adopting best practices that will reduce nutrient, sediment, pesticide, and pathogen loss to waterbodies either through diffuse or point source pathways from agricultural sources. Since its launch the campaign has made good progress and significant resources have been devoted to implementation.

A Steering Committee has been established to oversee the campaign with membership consisting of senior representatives from my own Department, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, the dairy, tillage and meat industries, the farming organisations, the Environment Protection Agency (EPA), the Local Authorities Waters Programme (LAWPRO), and Teagasc itself.

The "8-actions for change" articulated under the campaign fall under three areas for practice improvement – nutrient management, farmyard management, and land management providing a structured relatable approach for farmer engagement.

While it is a national campaign, eight priority catchments have been identified with six catchment co-ordinators appointed by Teagasc to lead implementation of the campaign in the Boyne, Slaney, Nore/Barrow, Suir, Blackwater and Lee/Bandon catchments.

Other achievements to date include mainstreaming of water quality advice across Teagasc’s advisory channels and farmer events, as well as provision of training for agricultural merchants sales/counter staff within the River Slaney catchment as part of Tirlán’s Slaney Project.

More information about the campaign is available at: www.teagasc.ie/environment/water-quality/better-farming-for-water/