The attributes of our grasslands are the foundation for the added-value and quality of those foods produced from grazing livestock. The Deputy is right to draw attention to the area of multi-species swards. This is an area that my Department has been funding research in recently to help demonstrate the positive impacts they can have on climate, soil, biodiversity and water quality in pasture-based systems.
In respect of this work, contributions by Waterford Institute of Technology on the project ‘LoCAM-Dairy’ involving multi-species swards, and which received funding of just under €600,000 from my Department in 2019, is welcomed. The expertise at Waterford Institute of Technology on this project is directed at the environmental sustainability of reseeding grasslands with multi-species swards under no fertiliser inputs and the greenhouse gas emission factors associated with them. This information is essential for input into policy and practice to develop mixed swards in Ireland and contributing to improving the national greenhouse gas inventory.
Multi-species swards will be a key tool for delivering climate action. In this context, I was pleased to be in a position recently to launch ‘Multi-Species Sward Measure’ which will provide financial support to farmers to sow Multi-Species Swards (MSS). We are targeting the planting of 12,000ha of MSS this year.
We will continue to support the research needed to investigate aspects of multi-species swards in an Irish context and in particular, their role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving soil structure and enhancing biodiversity, while also maintaining the quality of our meat and dairy produce and supporting the viability of farmers.
