2 days ago
Agriland launches AgNav series with Teagasc, Bord Bia and ICBF
Agriland Media Group is delighted to team up with Teagasc, Bord Bia, and ICBF for the 'AgNav: Supporting Farm Sustainability Series', which will look at AgNav and how the digital platform has helped farmers improve their on-farm sustainability and efficiency.
Over the next couple of weeks, this series will hear from farmers across the country who are utilising AgNav on their farm, as they explain how it helps them make effective decisions, be more efficient, and drive profitability through sustainable and practical actions.
AgNav is a free digital platform for Irish farmers, developed by Teagasc, Bord Bia, and ICBF, and supported by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
Farmers can use AgNav to develop farm-specific sustainability action plans to reduce on-farm emissions and improve water quality.
Week 1: Featuring Michael O'Donnell, calf-to-beef farm, and his adviser, Teagasc Signpost Climate Adviser Leonard Betts.
Michael explains how AgNav is helping him make decisions on his farm while Leonard shares how the tool supports his advisory work with farmers.
Week 2: Featuring north Co. Tipperary dairy farmers, Katie and Phil Gleeson, and their adviser Padraig Fogarty – the Gleesons discuss the changes they are implementing on their farm, supported by AgNav. Padraig explains the importance of tailoring plans to suit each farm.
Week 3: Featuring west Co. Cork dairy farmer Pat O'Driscoll and his Teagasc Signpost Climate Adviser Anthony Dineen – Pat outlines his experience using AgNav, with a focus on improving water quality by monitoring his nutrient balance.
Pat O'Driscoll and his Teagasc Signpost Climate Adviser Anthony Dineen
Anthony discusses the benefits of AgNav and the practical steps farmers can take, while Edel McEvoy, Sustainability Specialist with Bord Bia explains how processors can use AgNav as part of their sustainability programmes.
Week 4: Featuring Pat O'Driscoll and his Dairygold Sustainability Adviser Jeremiah Hurley and Dairygold Milk Quality Adviser, Denis Guiry. Jeremiah and Denis describe how Dairygold is supporting farmers using AgNav, including one-to-one training on water quality.
AgNav shows an assessment of current farm performance using data from Bord Bia, ICBF, Teagasc, and farmer-completed surveys.
For beef and dairy farms, animal and production data from ICBF along with Bord Bia audit data are automatically entered into AgNav, which removes the need for farmers to do it themselves.
Scientific models developed by Teagasc then use this data to calculate the individual farm's performance under the following key sustainability metrics:
Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions;
Ammonia emissions;
Production;
Nutrient balance;
Soil carbon.
Note: Soil carbon will only be calculated if a farmer chooses to complete an AgNav-hosted survey on their farm's soils. If they do, AgNav will calculate how much carbon is captured in their soil and can adjust the farm's GHG emissions accordingly.
The AgNav Forecaster is a core feature of the AgNav platform, and is currently available for dairy and beef enterprises.
Farmers, or their advisers, can use the forecaster to analyse how changes in farming practices and management can impact each sustainability metric.
Based on the forecaster analysis, beef and dairy farmers can identify which actions are most appropriate for their farm, allowing them to create a personalised farm sustainability action plan.
Michael O'Donnell, calf-to-beef farmer, and his adviser, Teagasc Signpost Climate Adviser, Leonard Betts
Farmers can choose actions to address water quality, gaseous farm emissions, and biodiversity.
AgNav is available to all beef, dairy, and tillage farmers through the AgNav website (
Additionally, all beef, dairy, and tillage farmers can sign up for the free Teagasc Signpost Advisory Programme for support and guidance on using and implementing AgNav.
Beef and dairy farmers can also join through an affiliated processor sustainability scheme.
