Farming « Thurles Information

In 2021, Growth In Agricultural Activity Driving Increased Ammonia Emissions in Ireland.

Ireland’s ammonia emissions increased by 1% in 2021 as the impact of higher livestock numbers and fertiliser use outpaced the impact of emission reduction measures currently being implemented at farm level.
Ireland is non-compliant with our EU Emissions Reduction commitment in 2021 for Ammonia. Compliance with the 2030 Reduction Commitment is only possible with full implementation of all identified measures, such as low emissions slurry spreading, and widespread use of inhibited urea fertiliser products.
The use of coal and fuel oil in power generation trebled in 2021, leading to increases in emissions of Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), Particulate Matter (PM2.5) and Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), showing the direct link between fossil fuel use and air pollutant emissions.
Ireland was compliant in 2021 with EU emissions reduction commitments for the other key air pollutants; non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs), sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5).
Additional actions are needed to reduce emissions of non-methane volatile organic compounds in the spirit production sector.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today published its 2021 assessment of five key air pollutants which impact air quality, health and the environment.
The pollutants are:

ammonia,
non-methane volatile organic compounds
sulphur dioxide
nitrogen oxides
fine particulate matter

Ammonia emissions increased in 2021 by nearly 1%. Growth in livestock numbers, including a 3% increase in dairy cow numbers, led to an increase in total national ammonia emissions. Increased use of low emission slurry spreading to 48% was not sufficient to counteract the impact of the overall growth in livestock numbers.
Ireland has not complied with EU National Emission Reduction Commitments for 9 of the past 10 years for ammonia emissions, which cause significant environmental damage to valuable ecosystems and can also impact local air quality and human health.
Commenting on the report Dr Eimear Cotter, (Director of the EPA’s Office of Evidence and Assessment) said: “The EPA’s assessment shows that the impact of good practices that are currently being implemented at the farm level, such as low emission slurry spreading and the use of protected urea, are not enough to counteract the impact of increased livestock numbers and fertiliser use.
More and faster uptake of known measures is needed.
While compliance with the EU 2030 targets for ammonia is possible, it will be tight and is at risk should anything less than full implementation of all measures be delivered, or if the level of activity in the sector exceeds projections“.

The use of coal and fuel oil in power generation trebled in 2021, which led to increases in emissions of NOx, PM2.5 and SO2, illustrating the direct link between fossil fuel use and air pollutant emissions . Emissions of NOx increased by 3% overall, driven by increased fossil fuel use in power generation. These increases masked a decrease in NOx emissions from transport of almost 4% in 2021 reflecting a continued improvement in vehicle NOx abatement technologies.

Commenting on the findings Mr Stephen Treacy, (Senior Manager) said: “The data shows the direct link between fossil fuel use and air pollutant emissions, highlighting the importance of accelerating Ireland’s transition towards renewables for the generation of heat and electricity, which will benefit both the climate and air quality”.
Emissions of non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs) increased by 2% in 2021, driven largely by increased activity in spirit production for beverages. While compliance with the NMVOC emission reduction commitment has been achieved, effective abatement measures for this source are needed if future emissions reduction targets are to be met.
For further detail on these figures, see the EPA report Ireland’s Air Pollutant Emissions 1990-2030 HERE.
For further information contact: Ms Emily Williamson, EPA Media Relations Office TEL: 053-9170770 (24 hours) or media@epa.ie

Three Tipperary Meat Processing Plants Approved For Exports Of Beef To China.

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Mr Charlie McConalogue, has announced the resumption of Irish beef exports to China. Stakeholders in the industry have obviously welcoming this development, since the Chinese market previously imported Irish beef to the tune of €96 million in 2019.

Chinese buyers of Irish beef have placed orders with a number of processors and cattle eligible for export to China have been processed in a number of facilities throughout Ireland as of Friday, last January 27th 2023.

In total twenty four Irish sites are currently listed on the China Imported Food Enterprise Registration (CIFER) website, each approved to export beef to China, with some of these sites slaughtering cattle while other sites store or process the beef.

The Irish Meat Processors in Co. Tipperary who have been approved for the export of beef to China are as follows:

ABP Cahir Kilcommon, Cahir, Co. Tipperary.
ABP Nenagh Grange, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary.
Ashbourne Meat Processors (Roscrea) Castleholding, Roscrea, Co. Tipperary.

Irish beef exports to China and including Hong Kong, latter which operates as a special administrative region with different market access rules, were worth €45 million in 2020, down from exports of €96 million in 2019. Readers will remember that in May 2020, Irish beef shipments to China were suspended following the confirmation of an isolated case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), or referred to as ‘Mad Cow Disease,’ a neurological disorder of cattle.
Note: This isolated case of BSE did not enter the food chain and posed no risk to human health. Nevertheless, beef exports to China were immediately suspended at the time, purely as a precautionary measure, and in line with the bilateral protocol on trade agreed with the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC).

Dogs Kill 70 Sheep In North Tipperary Following A Savage Attack.

A farming family near the village of Lorrha, at the north tip of Co Tipperary, say they have lost more than 70 sheep, following a savage dog attack on their flock after Christmas.

The attack was first discovered by local farmer Mr Donal O’Donoghue, on December 27th, which found some 50 sheep killed and another 20 having to be put down due to serious injuries.

Since the initial discovery, a number of sheep that had survived the attack have also since died.

The Chairperson of the Irish Farmers Association, Mr Kevin Comiskey has stated that such ongoing dog attacks, (the 3rd attack in the midwest in recent weeks), on sheep flocks are no longer acceptable and he has called for an emergency meeting at top government level to obtain legislation, including proper responsibility for dog licensing and compulsory microchipping, same to be brought solely under the control of the Department of Agriculture.

Following this Lorrha December 27th savage attack, some sheep still remain missing, others have been located with their entire faces and body parts ripped off. Those located dead were found strewn about everywhere at the location.

Gardaí are now investigating and we understand they have already attended at the scene of this savage attack.

Risks To Public Health In Private Drinking Water Supplies Not Being Tackled.

One in 20 private water supplies failed to meet the standard for E. coli, compared to 1 in 200 for public water supplies.
Local authorities are not monitoring over a quarter of small private supplies for E. coli .
More than 60% of government funding available to deal with water quality failures went unused by suppliers.

The EPA yesterday released the Drinking Water Quality in Private Group Schemes and Small Private Supplies 2021.

Drinking water is provided by over 380 group water schemes to approximately 200,000 people across rural communities in Ireland.

Additionally, over 1,700 small private supplies (premises like hotels, pubs and restaurants, crèches, nursing homes and national schools) provide water to approximately 60,000 staff, customers and service users on a daily basis.

Meeting E.coli standards is a basic requirement in the provision of safe drinking water. In 2021, one in twenty private supplies were found to have E. coli contamination, indicating that the water supply has not been properly disinfected.
The failure of these disinfection systems put the health of approximately 6,000 people, that use these drinking water supplies throughout the country, at risk.

In addition, twenty-one private group schemes (7%) failed to meet the standard for THMs, including five schemes that the European Commission has identified as being of particular concern.
Trihalomethanes (THM) are a by-product of the treatment process and are formed where there is an excess of organic matter in the water source.

Commenting on the findings of the report, Dr Tom Ryan, Director of the EPA’s Office of Environmental Enforcement said: “Compliance with drinking water standards in private supplies for E.coli and THMs hasn’t improved in recent years. It is essential that works to improve water quality are carried out as soon as possible to eliminate serious risks to people’s health. Private water suppliers are obliged to make sure their drinking water is clean and wholesome for consumers. Local authorities must investigate supplies that fail to meet drinking water quality standards and, where necessary, follow up with enforcement action to protect public health.”
Funding is available to group water schemes and household well owners for improvements to their supplies through the Multi-Annual Rural Water Programme (MARWP).

During the 2019-2021 MARWP funding cycle over 60% (€36 million) of funding available for infrastructural improvements went unused by water suppliers.

Mr Noel Byrne, Programme Manager of the EPA’s Office of Environmental Enforcement said: “Water quality in private supplies consistently lags behind public water quality. It is disappointing to see that €36million of funding was not used by suppliers to address infrastructural needs at problematic private supplies. The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage needs to complete its review of rural drinking water services, with the purpose of providing direction and support to water suppliers and to eliminate public health risks.”

During 2021, over a quarter of small private supplies, serving food businesses, nursing homes, crèches and B&Bs were not monitored. In addition, although there are 1,700 small private supplies registered with local authorities there may be many more that are unregistered. If a supply isn’t registered and hasn’t been monitored, there is no information on the quality of the drinking water provided to consumers.

Water suppliers in conjunction with local authorities must ensure that private supplies are registered, and that monitoring is undertaken in line with the Regulations.

This report outlines the actions that need to be taken to address the issues highlighted.
The full EPA report is available HERE.

Ireland Crowns Two World Ploughing Champions

For the first time ever, Ireland has crowned two world ploughing champions at this year’s world ploughing championships held in Ratheniska, Co. Laois.

The winners were announced, following a Gala Banquet, bringing the event to a close.

Mr Eamonn Tracey a resident of Co. Carlow won the Supreme World Conventional Ploughing Championship, while Wexford man, Mr John Whelan, won the Reversible Ploughing competition.
Both men are expected to represent Ireland at the World Ploughing contest next year, in 2023.

Amongst the various winners, North Tipperary was well represented with the 3 furrow conventional plough class – Junior, going to Mr Ciaran Milne, with 138 points.
In the U28 conventional junior plough class, Mr Ethan Harding, Tipperary North, took third place, with 93 points.

The event which returned for the first time in three years, following the Covid-19 epidemic; saw attendance figure for the 91st, 2022, National Ploughing Championships, reaching 277,000, over the three day period, with exhibitors and visitors alike totally declaring the event an outstanding success.