28 June 2024

Growing Resilient Organic Farming Systems’ Research Project

Growing Resilient Organic Farming Systems – GROFarmS, is a new Teagasc organic farming research project being undertaken in conjunction with University College Dublin.

“There is a pressing need for scientific research on organic farming practices to support evidence based best practice adoption. This project will provide new information on economic and environmental aspects of organic conversion and best practice adoption.”

The GROFarmS project aims to address the current research gaps in organic farming and demonstrate to farmers technically efficient organic systems of production.

The research will develop evidence on best practice technologies to support profitable and sustainable organic beef and lamb finishing systems. A fully certified organic holding at Kildavin/Johnstown Castle in county Wexford will develop clear guidelines for efficient and profitable organic-beef finishing systems. Trials on finishing diets will also be undertaken in Teagasc Grange. The conversion of the Kildavin farm to organic certification standards will be overseen by Johnstown Castle enterprise leader Dr David Wall and the beef finishing research will be led by Teagasc Grange and Dr Paul Crosson, Beef enterprise leader.

At the Beef2024 Open Day in Grange this week, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon T.D. met the researchers and knowledge transfer team involved in GROFarmS to hear the progress with setting up the research project and the plans to disseminate the information through the organic specialists and advisors.

Kevin Kilcline, Teagasc researcher and GROFarmS project leader said; “The area of organic farming has more than trebled since 2020. There is a pressing need for scientific research on organic farming practices to support evidence based best practice adoption. This project will provide new information on economic and environmental aspects of organic conversion and best practice adoption.”

Research on sustainable organic lamb production will be conducted at the Teagasc Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre in Athenry, led by sheep enterprise leader Dr Philp Creighton. They will be researching finishing options and management systems for organic hill and lowland lambs and will be conducting the research in collaboration with UCD. This work will take into account effects on animal performance, environmental impact and economic returns.

The Teagasc Rural Economy and Development Programme in Athenry will develop the Teagasc National Farm Survey to include a representative sample of organic farms. These commercial organic farms will provide in-depth socioeconomic and environmental sustainability benchmarking data to compare the performance of organic and conventional farms nationally but also to benchmark farm performance internationally. This socioeconomic research will be led by Dr Mary Ryan, Teagasc rural development specialist and a new dedicated organic farm recorder, Niall Stinger has recently being appointed.

Click here for more information on the GROFarmS project.