John Bailey Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Belfast, Northern Ireland

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1 A Europe-Wide EIP on Sustainable Dairy Farming John Bailey Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Belfast, Northern Ireland

2 Presentation Outline Rationale for New Project Possible Aim & Objectives A European Farm and Knowledge-Exchange Network Network Themes Potential Partnership

3 Rationale for New Project 1. To Consolidate DAIRYMAN Progress DAIRYMAN demonstrated how nutrient losses and industry costs can be reduced by improving the efficiency of feeds and fertilizer usage and through innovative stakeholder cooperation However, the timeframe of DAIRYMAN was too short to fully evaluate the effects of farm development plans, innovations and tools on farm economic and environmental performances In particular, environmental indicators, e.g. soil P concentration and GHG emissions from farms, ought to be monitored for at least 5 years before robust conclusions may be made regarding the efficacy of specific interventions in improving farm environmental performance

4 Rationale for New Project 2. To Build on DAIRYMAN Results The Socio-economic factors governing sustainability need to be better understood, managed and exploited if sustainableintensification is to become a reality Data sets generated for the DAIRYMAN pilot farm network need to be broadened with Europe-wide data and then interrogated to identify farming characteristics and practices capable of simultaneously optimizing farm economic and environmental performances Real measurements of NH 3 and GHG emissions and more precise quantification of internal flows of N and P within farms are required Finally, we need to have better understanding of how to create and maintain real biodiversity on intensively managed dairy farms

5 Rationale for New Project 3. To Address New and Emerging Challenges Large declines in soil C, N and P (available and total) under grassland have been observed on pilot dairy farms in NI (& Ireland in regard to available P) as a result of implementing Environmental Legislation this is an unexpected and worrying development and must be followed-up Clean water is becoming a scarce and expensive resource in certain regions and here the water footprint of dairy farming needs to be investigated along with opportunities for using grey water Pesticide and medicine use are coming under scrutiny and need to be quantified, and if possible reduced, in dairy farming systems

6 Rationale for New Project 4. To Broaden the Regional Base and Focus Further progress in resource management will require new information and new expertise, some of which may be obtained by linking with dairy stakeholders in other European Regions Linking with the new stakeholders, e.g. ECIP, will considerably enhance opportunities for out-scaling project benefits Other dairying regions in Southern and Eastern Europe, outside the current DAIRYMAN network, may have problems and issues not addressed in DAIRYMAN linked to: - Different farm structures Different market and economic influences Different climate and environmental problems Different social and societal issues

7 Possible Aim & Objectives Overall Aim: To contribute to the Sustainable Intensification of dairy farming Europe-Wide

8 Possible Aim & Objectives Objectives: 1. To provide an holistic assessment of, and define indicators for, the key factors (local, regional and international) which influence the sustainability of dairy production across the whole of Europe - and provide a roadmap for further research and policy making 2. To build on existing research knowledge and develop and evaluate innovative strategies for simultaneously enhancing competitiveness, resilience and ecosystem service delivery by dairy farms 3. To create a Europe-wide farm and knowledge exchange network where innovative strategies aimed at sustainable intensification can be implemented, evaluated, refined and disseminated to stakeholders in the wider dairy farming industry

9 European Farm & KE Network AS Commercial Pilot Dairy Farmer Agricultural School KTC Knowledge Transfer Centre innovations KTC knowledge Region AS tools Regional Operational Group (ROG) Comprising: Pilot farms () Agricultural School (AS) Knowledge Transfer Centre (KTC) 20 Regions in Europe Inter-regional Operational Group (IOG) 20 Regional Operational Groups (ROG)

10 Network Themes Understanding & managing N & P cycling on farms Home-grown feeds and management of soil quality Reducing the carbon footprint of dairying Measuring and managing biodiversity on farms Managing pesticide and medicine use on dairy farms Improving water management for dairy production Optimising farm economic and social performances

11 Potential Partnership Country FRANCE NETHERLANDS BELGIUM IRELAND SPAIN PORTUGAL UNITED KINGDOM GERMANY LUXEMBOURG ITALY DENMARK Region Bretagne Pays de la Loire Nord Pas de Calais Whole Country Flanders Wallonia Whole Country Basque Country Galicia North Northern Ireland Scotland England Wales Baden Wurttemberg Schleswig Holstein Whole Country Po Valley Whole Country Potentially 20+ partners from at least 19 regions in European countries European Cattle Innovation Partnership (ECIP) representing dairy farmers with over 9 million cows significantly enhancing the out-scaling of project benefits

12 THANK YOU FOR LISTENING