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<h3>Introduction</h3><p>Litter isn’t always the first thing that comes up in farming conversations, but it has a way of creeping into daily life anyway. It turns up in gateways, along hedges, in drains, and on stretches of road that someone has to clean, usually the person living beside it.</p><p>That’s why the latest national litter survey is worth a closer look. Not because it’s a feel-good story (though parts of it are), but because the figures tell us what’s actually changing on the ground, and what isn’t.</p><figure id="figure-8arksc255gmk1dssa7"><img id="8arksc255gmk1dssa7" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/910581600/photo/antrim-coast-ireland.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=225UmEA28ciWL2qQXXyrBIoH1c_vrGFWemSLYqHuULE=" alt="Antrim Coast, Ireland" title="Antrim Coast, Ireland" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: undefined undefined;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/910581600/photo/antrim-coast-ireland.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=225UmEA28ciWL2qQXXyrBIoH1c_vrGFWemSLYqHuULE=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: undefined undefined;"></figure><h3>Most Towns Are Cleaner Than They Used to Be — and That’s Not Nothing<br></h3><p>The clearest headline from the survey is this: out of 40 towns and cities assessed, 28 were judged to be clean or cleaner than European norms. That’s 70% of locations.</p><p>That’s a big shift when you think back even ten or fifteen years, when being labelled “clean” in a national survey felt like the exception rather than the rule.</p><p>This year also marked the first time Sligo finished top of the rankings, and, just as notably, no location was classed as “seriously littered”. That last point matters. It suggests that while problems still exist, the worst of the old blackspot situations are becoming less common.</p><figure id="figure-0jqmfu4z73mk1dvmbs" class=""><img id="0jqmfu4z73mk1dvmbs" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/2248920857/photo/sligo-city-sunset-landscape-with-view-of-calry-parish-anglican-church-and-moored-boats-over.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=zK9e-3Y-r7yIdsztvgGbHJ66qacXjeGw5O2YgAE_qAs=" alt="Sligo city sunset landscape with view of Calry Parish Anglican Church and moored boats over the Garavogue River" title="Sligo city sunset landscape with view of Calry Parish Anglican Church and moored boats over the Garavogue River" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/2248920857/photo/sligo-city-sunset-landscape-with-view-of-calry-parish-anglican-church-and-moored-boats-over.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=zK9e-3Y-r7yIdsztvgGbHJ66qacXjeGw5O2YgAE_qAs=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Blackspots Haven’t Disappeared — But They’re Losing Ground<br></h3><p>One detail that stood out was the finding that no bottle bank was classed as a litter blackspot this year. Bottle banks were once almost guaranteed trouble spots; overflow, dumping, bags left beside them for days.</p><p>That hasn’t vanished entirely, but the fact that none reached blackspot status this time around says something important: some long-standing problems really are being pushed back.</p><p>Surveyors also noted a reduction in large accumulations of litter and dumping compared with previous years. That doesn’t mean every area is spotless, but it does mean the scale of the mess is shrinking in many places.</p><figure id="figure-69q8zpnuxmk1dxxse" class=""><img id="69q8zpnuxmk1dxxse" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/896799400/photo/recyle-bins.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=jbOtbQAXBomeERPjRIrH4b8iY-UTQjZq89WJJxHKrsE=" alt="Recyle Bins" title="Recyle Bins" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/896799400/photo/recyle-bins.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=jbOtbQAXBomeERPjRIrH4b8iY-UTQjZq89WJJxHKrsE=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Deposit Return Is Doing Exactly What It Was Supposed to Do<br></h3><p>If there’s one area where the data is very clear, it’s the impact of the Deposit Return Scheme, which was introduced in February 2024.</p><p>Since then:</p><ul><li>Plastic bottles and cans are around 10% less prevalent in litter than last year.</li><li>More strikingly, they are around 60% less prevalent than before the scheme began.<br></li></ul><p>On the recycling side, the change has been dramatic. More than 1.6 billion bottles and cans have already been returned, and it’s estimated that around 798 million additional containers per year are now being recycled compared with the situation before the scheme.</p><p>Recycling rates for drink containers have jumped from about 49% to roughly 91%.</p><p>For anyone living in the countryside, that isn’t abstract. Fewer bottles and cans in towns means fewer of them ending up in ditches, hedges and fields when the wind gets up.</p><figure id="figure-b4pt48rxjtmk1dzvn4" class=""><img id="b4pt48rxjtmk1dzvn4" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/2083412201/photo/recycling-for-a-brighter-future.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=FfUo8aqn096PFWSXeRIL-MJ4sqYLRvTNdAH63jzsgAg=" alt="Recycling for a brighter future" title="Recycling for a brighter future" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/2083412201/photo/recycling-for-a-brighter-future.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=FfUo8aqn096PFWSXeRIL-MJ4sqYLRvTNdAH63jzsgAg=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Some Litter Just Refuses to Budge<br></h3><p>Not everything is improving at the same pace.</p><p>The survey found that disposable coffee cups were present at about one-fifth (20%) of all sites assessed, making them one of the most common litter items still being found.</p><p>Disposable vapes are another stubborn problem. Despite plans to phase them out over the course of 2026, their presence in litter has not yet declined.</p><p>That contrast is telling. Where there’s a strong system in place, like deposit return, behaviour changes quickly. Where there isn’t, habits tend to linger.</p><figure id="figure-h6tengfi1cmk1e1g8z" class=""><img id="h6tengfi1cmk1e1g8z" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1569580479/photo/electronic-cigarette-vape-left-lying-on-drain-cover.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=xNlnvhgwomX3BuZpEnukSTFy8DoODDU7ix_Rb40uP9U=" alt="Electronic Cigarette Vape left lying on drain cover" title="Electronic Cigarette Vape left lying on drain cover" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1569580479/photo/electronic-cigarette-vape-left-lying-on-drain-cover.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=xNlnvhgwomX3BuZpEnukSTFy8DoODDU7ix_Rb40uP9U=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Why This Isn’t Just an Urban Issue</h3><p>It’s easy to look at litter surveys and think they’re mainly about town centres. In reality, litter doesn’t stay put.</p><p>Lightweight waste moves. It blows, it washes, it ends up in places it was never dropped. And once it’s there, someone has to deal with it.</p><p>Cleaner towns mean:</p><ul><li>Fewer sharp items along rural roads.</li><li>Less plastic getting caught in hedges and fences.</li><li>Lower risk of rubbish ending up in drains and waterways that run through farmland.</li></ul><p><br>When waste systems work properly in one place, the benefits don’t stop at the boundary sign.</p><figure id="figure-uwwtpnt8v1mk1e3u47" class=""><img id="uwwtpnt8v1mk1e3u47" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1365127764/photo/typical-irish-countryside-of-green-grassy-fields-west-cork-ireland.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=MzeDBZk2HsPnqNr8rTUr7eHzsh4UpyaqwxPR0OTQxlE=" alt="Typical Irish countryside of green grassy fields West Cork Ireland" title="Typical Irish countryside of green grassy fields West Cork Ireland" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1365127764/photo/typical-irish-countryside-of-green-grassy-fields-west-cork-ireland.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=MzeDBZk2HsPnqNr8rTUr7eHzsh4UpyaqwxPR0OTQxlE=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>What the Numbers Actually Say</h3><p>Stripped back, the figures tell a fairly honest story:</p><ul><li>70% of surveyed towns and cities are now clean or cleaner than European norms.</li><li>No area is classed as seriously littered.</li><li>Bottle and can litter is down about 60% since the Deposit Return Scheme began.</li><li>Coffee cups remain widespread, appearing at 20% of sites.</li><li>Disposable vapes have not yet shown a reduction in litter levels.<br></li></ul><p>That’s progress; real, measured progress, but it’s uneven. And it’s clear that where policy backs up behaviour change, results follow faster.</p><figure id="figure-1ips82621dmk1e5byz" class=""><img id="1ips82621dmk1e5byz" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/2188767840/photo/used-plastic-cups-left-in-the-street-unclean-street-background-litter-in-the-street.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=FTEZhKGQqXYG04at-76vGPt6bj-1HLWZ8OU0TTsYi_A=" alt="used  plastic cups left in the street, unclean street background, litter in the street" title="used  plastic cups left in the street, unclean street background, litter in the street" class="object-cover bg-gray-100" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/2188767840/photo/used-plastic-cups-left-in-the-street-unclean-street-background-litter-in-the-street.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=FTEZhKGQqXYG04at-76vGPt6bj-1HLWZ8OU0TTsYi_A=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>Ireland hasn’t solved its litter problem, but it has shown that change is possible when effort is consistent and targeted.</p><p>For rural communities and farmers, the gains are practical as much as visual. Cleaner towns mean cleaner roadsides. Fewer bottles and cans mean fewer hazards. And less drifting waste means less time spent dealing with someone else’s mess.</p><p>The challenge now is to keep the momentum going, especially for the litter types that haven’t yet been tackled with the same focus.</p><p>The data shows we know what works. The next step is applying that lesson more widely.&nbsp;</p><p><br data-mce-bogus="1"></p><p>*By Anne Hayden MSc., Founder, The Informed Farmer Consultancy.</p>

Ireland’s Litter Levels: Progress and Areas for Improvement

<h3>Introduction</h3><p>Every so often, a trade announcement comes along that’s worth more than a skim. Not because it will change prices overnight, it won’t, but because it quietly alters the landscape Irish farmers are operating in.</p><p>Vietnam opening its market to Irish beef is one of those moments.</p><p>On its own, it might sound distant, another export destination, another country far from the mart ring. But when you set it alongside what’s happening in Europe, and what’s looming with Mercosur, it starts to look far more relevant to farm-gate reality than the headline suggests.</p><figure id="figure-nkjc2473rlmk1b80ww"><img id="nkjc2473rlmk1b80ww" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/2206104747/photo/cows-eating-hay-indoors.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=11nkLAQdjngIDMSFiMj2tVB5gbSVMdEIEpmjAHuZusE=" alt="Cows eating hay indoors" title="Cows eating hay indoors" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="null" data-positiony="null" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/2206104747/photo/cows-eating-hay-indoors.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=11nkLAQdjngIDMSFiMj2tVB5gbSVMdEIEpmjAHuZusE=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Vietnam Is Not a Small Market — and It’s Changing Fast</h3><p>Vietnam’s population now sits at just over 100 million people. That alone puts it firmly in the “serious market” category. But population size isn’t the real driver here.</p><p>The key shift is income.</p><p>In 2023, Vietnam’s middle class accounted for roughly 13% of the population, or about 13 million people. Projections suggest that by 2026, that figure could rise to around 26%. In other words, the middle class is expected to double in a very short space of time.</p><p>That matters because rising incomes change diets. Beef consumption increases. Eating outside the home becomes more common. Imported food, especially food associated with safety, traceability and quality, becomes part of regular consumption rather than an occasional treat.</p><p>That’s the demand space Irish beef is stepping into.</p><figure id="figure-yqmzp7lmrmmk1cd2er" class=""><img id="yqmzp7lmrmmk1cd2er" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1305125003/photo/mince-and-steaks-from-the-butchers-store-english-market-cork-ireland.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=Pjz87IWxVgHewL8eb-o2h8ykF4VT-97N07agnDAsvFM=" alt="Mince and steaks from the butcher's store - English Market, Cork, Ireland" title="Mince and steaks from the butcher's store - English Market, Cork, Ireland" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1305125003/photo/mince-and-steaks-from-the-butchers-store-english-market-cork-ireland.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=Pjz87IWxVgHewL8eb-o2h8ykF4VT-97N07agnDAsvFM=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>What Market Access Really Means (and Why It Matters)<br></h3><p>Market access doesn’t mean containers are shipping tomorrow morning. It means something more fundamental: Vietnamese authorities have formally recognised Ireland’s beef production and veterinary systems.</p><p>That recognition doesn’t happen quickly. It’s built on years of engagement, inspection, and alignment around animal health, traceability and food safety controls.</p><p>For farmers, the significance is simple: access creates optionality. It allows exporters to build routes when the commercial case stacks up, and that flexibility matters in a volatile global market.</p><figure id="figure-ulkwefvdwvmk1cf45e" class=""><img id="ulkwefvdwvmk1cf45e" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1320006221/photo/pregnant-woman-with-big-belly-buying-pork-meat-in-supermarket.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=_cyvtLMGugpjM1Ik-She9vSBhJpPX4t-dcyRwf12Jt8=" alt="Pregnant woman with big belly buying pork meat in supermarket" title="Pregnant woman with big belly buying pork meat in supermarket" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: undefined undefined;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1320006221/photo/pregnant-woman-with-big-belly-buying-pork-meat-in-supermarket.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=_cyvtLMGugpjM1Ik-She9vSBhJpPX4t-dcyRwf12Jt8=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: undefined undefined;"></figure><h3>Vietnam Is One Part of a Much Bigger Asian Picture<br></h3><p>Vietnam didn’t appear out of nowhere. It fits into a broader trend where Asia is playing a bigger role in global beef demand, and in Ireland’s export strategy.</p><p>Take South Korea. It is one of the world’s largest beef importers, with imports forecast at around 580,000 tonnes in 2025, and a similar volume expected again in 2026. That’s scale. That’s consistent demand.</p><p>Then there’s Japan, long viewed as a premium market. While it remains important, it’s not immune to economic pressure. In the first half of 2025, Japan’s total beef imports were down 12% compared with the same period in 2024.</p><p>That decline is a useful reminder: even large, established markets can soften. Which is exactly why spreading export risk matters.</p><p>Vietnam adds another strand to that web. Not a replacement. Not a silver bullet. But another outlet in a region where long-term protein demand is still growing.</p><figure id="figure-xs7f5chgl9mk1ck2xf" class=""><img id="xs7f5chgl9mk1ck2xf" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1367290258/photo/butchers-shop-seller-helps-to-choose-product-to-woman-customer.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=diDcmKP_BbJ4lQhNSH59BRDJFixcwHWUiVx-4j1SSpw=" alt="Butcher's shop seller helps to choose product to woman customer" title="Butcher's shop seller helps to choose product to woman customer" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1367290258/photo/butchers-shop-seller-helps-to-choose-product-to-woman-customer.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=diDcmKP_BbJ4lQhNSH59BRDJFixcwHWUiVx-4j1SSpw=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Why Mercosur Changes How This Should Be Viewed</h3><p>It’s impossible to separate this conversation from Mercosur, because farmers already haven’t.</p><p>The proposed Mercosur agreement includes a quota of 99,000 tonnes of beef, entering the EU at a 7.5% duty, phased in over several years and split between fresh/chilled and frozen beef.</p><p>On paper, that’s often described as roughly 1.5% of total EU beef production. In practice, market pressure rarely spreads evenly. It tends to hit hardest where margins are already tight.</p><p>For Irish farmers, the concern isn’t ideological, it’s practical. Competing with beef produced under very different cost and regulatory structures, while meeting some of the highest standards globally, creates real vulnerability.</p><p>This is where Asia matters strategically.</p><p>If Mercosur represents downward pressure within the EU, then markets like Vietnam, South Korea and Japan represent diversification outside it, markets where quality, consistency and safety carry weight.</p><p>That doesn’t eliminate Mercosur risk. But it does help balance it.</p><figure id="figure-rz0dcccgkgmk1cprhs" class=""><img id="rz0dcccgkgmk1cprhs" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/173868970/photo/south-america-map.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=NJmRLjcOL6uIxFfnGjlwHSzUlYg2NmmZDpIx8Dib9qU=" alt="South America Map" title="South America Map" class="object-cover bg-gray-100" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/173868970/photo/south-america-map.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=NJmRLjcOL6uIxFfnGjlwHSzUlYg2NmmZDpIx8Dib9qU=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>What This Means at Farm Level (Without Pretending It’s Immediate)<br></h3><p>No farmer is changing a system tomorrow because Vietnam opened its market. That’s not how trade works.</p><p>But over time, developments like this influence the system in quieter ways:</p><ul><li>More diversified demand means exporters are less dependent on any single outlet.</li><li>Different markets value different parts of the carcase, improving overall utilisation.</li><li>Premium positioning becomes easier to defend when buyers are willing to pay for it.<br></li></ul><p>None of that guarantees higher prices. But it can reduce exposure, and reduced exposure matters in a sector where margins are already thin.</p><figure id="figure-4cim2nlp4lmk1cvv8f" class=""><img id="4cim2nlp4lmk1cvv8f" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/92214273/photo/cow-family-in-the-meadow.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=_zfW5AkWRmsdqGcnN-ywi7AcuhcLpADhv0fIKCA-s8o=" alt="Cow Family in the meadow" title="Cow Family in the meadow" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/92214273/photo/cow-family-in-the-meadow.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=_zfW5AkWRmsdqGcnN-ywi7AcuhcLpADhv0fIKCA-s8o=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Why Asia and Mercosur Belong in the Same Conversation<br><br></h3><p>Export wins and trade threats are often discussed separately. In reality, they’re two sides of the same coin.</p><p>Mercosur raises questions about how Irish beef competes inside Europe. Asia raises questions about where Irish beef can compete on its own terms.</p><p>Vietnam’s 100-million-plus population, its rapidly expanding middle class (13% in 2023, projected to 26% by 2026), South Korea’s 580,000-tonne import demand, and Japan’s 12% import dip in early 2025 all point to one conclusion:</p><p>Irish beef needs more than one lane to market.</p><figure id="figure-144e3x6xqimk1cy2vy"><img id="144e3x6xqimk1cy2vy" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/2246689495/photo/beef-meat-stew-with-beer-braised-beef.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=BABd5XB8eW2gwUKlz3OZ4-SrW95rNRPxjdpJ0SK_ND0=" alt="Beef Meat Stew with Beer, Braised Beef" title="Beef Meat Stew with Beer, Braised Beef" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/2246689495/photo/beef-meat-stew-with-beer-braised-beef.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=BABd5XB8eW2gwUKlz3OZ4-SrW95rNRPxjdpJ0SK_ND0=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>Vietnam opening its market won’t solve every challenge facing Irish beef farmers. It won’t erase concerns about Mercosur. And it won’t lift prices overnight.</p><p>But it does something important.</p><p>It adds another serious, growing destination for Irish beef at a time when competition is intensifying closer to home. It reinforces Ireland’s reputation for safe, high-quality production. And it strengthens the case for diversification as a form of protection, not ambition.</p><p>In a world where pressure travels fast and markets shift quickly, having more doors open is never a bad thing.</p><p>For Irish beef, Asia, Vietnam included, is increasingly one of those doors.</p><p><br data-mce-bogus="1"></p><p>*By Anne Hayden MSc., Founder, The Informed Farmer Consultancy.</p>

Vietnam Opens Its Market to Irish Beef: Impacts on Irish Farms

A flooded agricultural field due to heavy rainfall

<h3>Introduction</h3><p>If your land feels like it’s been through the wars since last autumn, you’re not imagining things. Wet winters don’t just make fields awkward to work, they quietly change the soil itself. And once structure is damaged, it doesn’t bounce back overnight.</p><p>To make matters trickier, snow, ice and sharp frosts are forecast this week, with night-time temperatures expected to drop to around -2°C, and down as low as -4°C over the weekend, before daytime highs recover to roughly 1–6°C. That matters, because frozen ground can look safe when it absolutely isn’t.</p><p>This isn’t a theoretical piece. It’s about what wet winters actually do to soil, what that costs in real output, and how to recover ground without making things worse.</p><figure id="figure-tqcrdguj11mjwtetcz"><img id="tqcrdguj11mjwtetcz" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1372086701/photo/peat-extraction-in-northern-ireland.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=EEejX18OwZHB2n3HpuEVAeosodKGyUG7H1LMFbmMOck=" alt="Peat extraction in Northern Ireland" title="Peat extraction in Northern Ireland" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1372086701/photo/peat-extraction-in-northern-ireland.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=EEejX18OwZHB2n3HpuEVAeosodKGyUG7H1LMFbmMOck=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>What wet winters really do to soil (not just what they look like)<br></h3><p>After prolonged rain, two types of damage usually show up, sometimes together.</p><p>The first is surface damage. Hooves and tyres smear the top few centimetres of soil, closing off pores. Water stops soaking in properly, so it sits. Roots stay shallow. Grass struggles to respond in spring.</p><p>The second, and more serious, is compaction lower down. That’s harder to see, but it’s the damage that lingers.</p><p>Irish research has shown that compaction can lead to:</p><ul><li>A 12% reduction in total soil porosity.</li><li>A 15% increase in bulk density,</li><li>And, in a crop example, a 20% reduction in winter barley yield compared with uncompacted soil.</li></ul><p><br>That barley figure often surprises people, but the mechanism is the same in grassland. Less pore space means less air. Less air means poorer roots. And once roots are struggling, everything above ground suffers.</p><figure id="figure-fzuonrt2lmjwthpxh" class=""><img id="fzuonrt2lmjwthpxh" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1726056575/photo/wild-north-cork-countryside-sunny-day-over-a-framers-field.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=DxzYc09JvGX_54qwHuGE_1Ey99PI2fDOOfpcX84j5No=" alt="Wild North Cork countryside, sunny day over a framers field." title="Wild North Cork countryside, sunny day over a framers field." class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1726056575/photo/wild-north-cork-countryside-sunny-day-over-a-framers-field.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=DxzYc09JvGX_54qwHuGE_1Ey99PI2fDOOfpcX84j5No=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>What that damage actually costs you in grass</h3><p>Soil damage isn’t just untidy, it’s expensive.</p><p>Research on Irish grassland has recorded yield losses ranging from 8% to 31% where silage machinery traffic caused compaction. The reason the range is so wide is simple: soil type, timing, axle weight and repeat traffic all matter.</p><p>But even the lower end hurts.</p><p>If a paddock normally produces 10 tonnes of grass dry matter per hectare per year:</p><ul><li>An 8% loss means 0.8 tonnes gone.</li><li>A 20% loss means 2.0 tonnes gone.</li><li>A 31% loss means 3.1 tonnes gone.<br></li></ul><p>That’s grass you don’t grow. Which usually means feed you end up buying.</p><p>There’s another cost farmers often miss: poor response to fertiliser. You can spread nutrients perfectly, but if roots can’t access them because structure is tight, the return just isn’t there.</p><figure id="figure-ej5apjutzgmjwtlufa" class=""><img id="ej5apjutzgmjwtlufa" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/902659270/photo/winter-countryside-morning-northern-ireland.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=BVglyIPlB_SFQOJxNz_lryOiR6g-1K8zVh60G02Zkp0=" alt="winter countryside morning,Northern Ireland" title="winter countryside morning,Northern Ireland" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/902659270/photo/winter-countryside-morning-northern-ireland.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=BVglyIPlB_SFQOJxNz_lryOiR6g-1K8zVh60G02Zkp0=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Why this week’s snow and frost matters more than it looks<br></h3><p>This week is awkward. The forecast includes snow, sleet, ice and frost, with sub-zero nights and slow daytime warming.</p><p><strong>Here’s the trap:</strong></p><ul><li>Frozen ground can feel solid underfoot, but the soil beneath may still be wet. One pass with a tractor in those conditions can push compaction deeper than anything you did all winter.</li><li>Freeze–thaw cycles can sometimes help crack a sealed surface, but on already weakened soil they can also break structure into clods and delay drying if rain follows. That’s why frost should be treated as a pause button, not an opportunity.</li></ul><p>If you have to travel, do it only where you already know the ground carries weight. Don’t trust appearances.</p><figure id="figure-fza62mhuecmjwtnvp9" class=""><img id="fza62mhuecmjwtnvp9" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1201207992/photo/peat.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=YSlgSfOBBrDMoWUCHV49cL5TJDeUZ2au7ZysXOhjA5M=" alt="peat" title="peat" class="object-cover bg-gray-100" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1201207992/photo/peat.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=YSlgSfOBBrDMoWUCHV49cL5TJDeUZ2au7ZysXOhjA5M=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>How to tell what kind of damage you’re dealing with (without fancy gear)<br></h3><p>A spade will tell you more than most apps.</p><p>Take a spadeful from a representative spot and look closely:</p><ul><li>Flat, stacked layers mean restricted drainage.</li><li>Shiny or smeared faces mean traffic at the wrong moisture.</li><li>Roots turning sideways instead of down are a red flag.</li><li>Grey patches or a sour smell point to prolonged lack of oxygen.</li></ul><p>If the damage is mostly in the top few centimetres, recovery can be fairly quick if you stop re-damaging it.<br>If there’s a tight layer deeper down, you need to tread carefully. Deep compaction is slow and difficult to reverse.</p><figure id="figure-ectn5w4wwhemjwtqwux" class=""><img id="ectn5w4wwhemjwtqwux" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/804724700/photo/flooded-irish-meadow.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=vBY2VKN62_QjMIBnC7XcuxC2h2lxLVKUkKEPQCLnNxI=" alt="Flooded irish meadow" title="Flooded irish meadow" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/804724700/photo/flooded-irish-meadow.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=vBY2VKN62_QjMIBnC7XcuxC2h2lxLVKUkKEPQCLnNxI=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Why headlands and gateways always seem to suffer first<br></h3><p>Most soil damage isn’t spread evenly, it’s concentrated where weight and turning combine.</p><p>Research has shown that a 120 kW tractor may carry around four tonnes on its rear axle in the field, but that load can rise to eight tonnes on headlands during turning.</p><p>In a study across 40 fields, yield reductions on headlands reached:</p><ul><li>44% in winter wheat,</li><li>31% in spring barley.</li></ul><p>Not all of that was compaction, but it was estimated that around 15% of the yield loss was directly due to compaction alone.</p><p>The same principle applies on grassland. The places that break first usually do so for a reason, and they’ll keep breaking unless traffic patterns change.</p><figure id="figure-jt6us2licdmjwtsvxb" class=""><img id="jt6us2licdmjwtsvxb" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1364389653/photo/fenced-area-to-the-canal-water.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=3rwO3gZ3dDhWlN_wnaiTwNVr1iOBlTGwd231lWcmeEw=" alt="Fenced area to the canal water" title="Fenced area to the canal water" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1364389653/photo/fenced-area-to-the-canal-water.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=3rwO3gZ3dDhWlN_wnaiTwNVr1iOBlTGwd231lWcmeEw=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>What actually helps recovery (and what usually doesn’t)<br>&nbsp;</h3><p><strong>First: stop the damage:</strong><br>This is the least exciting step, but it delivers the biggest return.</p><p>Keep heavy traffic off suspect paddocks until the soil crumbles rather than smears. Avoid repeated runs in the same lines. Accept that one sacrificial area is better than quietly wrecking five paddocks.</p><p>In Irish conditions, prevention consistently outperforms cure.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Mechanical aeration: useful, but only when timed right:</strong><br>Aeration can help, but only when soil is dry enough to fracture properly.</p><p>If you go too early and the soil is sticky, you risk smearing the walls of the slots and collapsing pore space further. Given the frost and snow risk this week, the safest approach is to map damage now and wait until soils are consistently workable before intervening.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Don’t ignore fertility while fixing structure:</strong><br>Structure and fertility are linked. Fix one without the other and progress slows.</p><p>A hard figure worth keeping in mind:</p><ul><li>Low fertility (for example P Index 1) is associated with a loss of more than 2.0 tonnes of grass dry matter per hectare per year, valued at around €275 per hectare per year.</li></ul><p>Two more useful reference points:</p><ul><li>Building soil phosphorus can take roughly 150 kg P per hectare per index, depending on soil type.</li><li>Around 64% of Irish grassland soils are below the optimum pH of 6.3, meaning lime remains one of the cheapest tools for improving performance where needed.</li></ul><figure id="figure-mfjpz0hmpmjwtw4qa" class=""><img id="mfjpz0hmpmjwtw4qa" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1445752683/photo/bog-and-heather-landscape-in-conemara-ireland.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=VtdlQHml9VOiP6FgVpaCNvz2jyjKX6mb5K_MAVEDKCI=" alt="Bog and heather landscape in Conemara, Ireland" title="Bog and heather landscape in Conemara, Ireland" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1445752683/photo/bog-and-heather-landscape-in-conemara-ireland.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=VtdlQHml9VOiP6FgVpaCNvz2jyjKX6mb5K_MAVEDKCI=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>A realistic plan for the next few weeks<br></h3><p><strong>This week (snow and frost):</strong></p><ul><li>Avoid heavy traffic even if ground feels hard.</li><li>Spade-test a few paddocks and mark which are weakest.</li><li>Decide where unavoidable traffic will go.<br></li></ul><p>As soils stabilise:</p><ul><li>Graze the safest paddocks first.</li><li>Protect damaged ones until they pass the spade test.</li><li>Address fertility issues that are holding back recovery.</li></ul><figure id="figure-mz29b1tofrmjwtxxco" class=""><img id="mz29b1tofrmjwtxxco" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/93242300/photo/cow.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=uvMd7ySqCZ9zCUoMB5PbiGYGYAGV97a6LnG01iRwNf8=" alt="Cow" title="Cow" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/93242300/photo/cow.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=uvMd7ySqCZ9zCUoMB5PbiGYGYAGV97a6LnG01iRwNf8=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>After a wet winter, the most expensive mistake isn’t doing too little, it’s doing the wrong thing at the wrong time.</p><p>This week’s snow and frost, with night-time lows down to about -4°C, are a reminder that Irish ground can mislead. What looks ready often isn’t.</p><p>Farmers have always adapted. Right now, adaptation means patience, observation and resisting the urge to rush. Get that right, and the soil will repay you all season.</p><p><br data-mce-bogus="1"></p><p>*By Anne Hayden MSc., Founder, The Informed Farmer Consultancy.</p>

Soil Damage and Recovery Strategies After Wet Winters

2025 2026 Happy new year text of aerial top view on the combine working on the large wheat field agriculture concept

<h3>Introduction</h3><p>Irish farming has never been short of challenges, but 2025 was the year when many long-running pressures stopped hovering in the background and landed squarely on the farm desk. Trade, climate, regulation, animal health, all very familiar words, but this time with real consequences attached.</p><p>It wasn’t all bad news. There were solid investments, practical wins, and moments that showed Irish agriculture is still capable of adapting when it needs to. Here’s a grounded look back at the year that was, without the fluff.</p><figure id="figure-17h6r15jfmmjsfq5lo" class=""><img id="17h6r15jfmmjsfq5lo" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/2155114839/photo/irish-landscape-with-traditional-stone-walls-and-mountains-in-the-distance.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=dtvmCxLGK-RYPMHagNkAjCfnIoAJ4Zq_g6vuh6sAemM=" alt="Irish landscape with traditional stone walls and mountains in the distance" title="Irish landscape with traditional stone walls and mountains in the distance" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/2155114839/photo/irish-landscape-with-traditional-stone-walls-and-mountains-in-the-distance.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=dtvmCxLGK-RYPMHagNkAjCfnIoAJ4Zq_g6vuh6sAemM=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Renewable Energy Gets Serious: €80m Biomethane Plant in Meath</h3><p>For years, renewable energy has been talked about more than delivered. That changed in 2025 with the announcement of an €80 million biomethane plant in Duleek, County Meath, due for completion in late 2026.</p><p>The facility is designed to inject renewable gas directly into the national grid and forms part of Ireland’s wider ambition to reach 5.7TWh of indigenous biomethane production by 2030. Crucially for farmers, the plant is expected to source feedstocks locally, within a defined catchment area, creating a commercial demand for slurry, silage and organic by-products.</p><p>For those operating nearby, this wasn’t theory, it was a rare example of renewable energy moving at industrial scale in an agricultural region.</p><figure id="figure-nj8i6wrswkmjsfsmz8" class=""><img id="nj8i6wrswkmjsfsmz8" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1400217384/photo/modern-biogas-plant-between-several-fields-in-rural-region.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=5pKBXUC95rW3ztO2ijvc18Sx_jShCTdF6HHDWhI9mvc=" alt="Modern biogas plant between several fields in rural region" title="Modern biogas plant between several fields in rural region" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1400217384/photo/modern-biogas-plant-between-several-fields-in-rural-region.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=5pKBXUC95rW3ztO2ijvc18Sx_jShCTdF6HHDWhI9mvc=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Mercosur Moves From Policy Talk to Farm-Gate Fear<br></h3><p>The EU–Mercosur trade deal dominated farm meetings and protest placards in 2025, and with good reason.</p><p>Under the agreement as negotiated, the EU would allow a tariff-rate quota of 99,000 tonnes of beef, subject to a 7.5% import duty, phased in over several years. The quota is split between fresh/chilled and frozen beef, directly overlapping with Irish export markets.</p><p>At a time when the average Irish beef farm income remains heavily dependent on direct payments, the prospect of additional lower-standard imports sharpened concerns around price pressure and long-term viability.</p><figure id="figure-wifjt0q4gomjsftul4"><img id="wifjt0q4gomjsftul4" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/2234742424/photo/flags-of-mercosur-and-european-union-waving-in-the-wind-on-a-clear-day.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=G9R-4X3m_avnuhPSsvs3WKAree7Yoh0ZcGRhI1gef5s=" alt="Flags of Mercosur and European Union waving in the wind on a clear day" title="Flags of Mercosur and European Union waving in the wind on a clear day" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/2234742424/photo/flags-of-mercosur-and-european-union-waving-in-the-wind-on-a-clear-day.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=G9R-4X3m_avnuhPSsvs3WKAree7Yoh0ZcGRhI1gef5s=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Nitrates Derogation: Relief — Followed by Reality<br></h3><p>The announcement of a three-year extension to Ireland’s nitrates derogation, starting on 1 January 2026, brought short-term certainty. But it didn’t bring ease.</p><p>The extension applies to approximately 7,000 intensive dairy farms and comes with tighter conditions, including stricter limits on chemical nitrogen use in specific catchments, wider buffer zones and enhanced monitoring. From 2028, reduced fertiliser allowances will apply in designated areas.</p><p>For many farms already operating close to stocking and nutrient limits, 2025 marked the moment when compliance costs became impossible to ignore.</p><figure id="figure-bo1r66fhjnmjsfweq8" class=""><img id="bo1r66fhjnmjsfweq8" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/672106642/photo/fertilized-cultivated-field-fertilized-green-lentil-field-fertilizer-and-agriculture.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=s5luno1lJJJMwVGh5Tn2pUWQWYnV-v1k7V15A2koUIo=" alt="Fertilized cultivated field, fertilized green lentil field, fertilizer and agriculture" title="Fertilized cultivated field, fertilized green lentil field, fertilizer and agriculture" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/672106642/photo/fertilized-cultivated-field-fertilized-green-lentil-field-fertilizer-and-agriculture.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=s5luno1lJJJMwVGh5Tn2pUWQWYnV-v1k7V15A2koUIo=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Animal Health: Bluetongue and the Vet Shortage Reality<br></h3><p>Animal health crept back into sharp focus following confirmed bluetongue cases in Northern Ireland in late 2025, which led to increased surveillance across the island. While no widespread outbreak occurred in the Republic, the disease’s proximity triggered precautionary monitoring and movement awareness.</p><p>At the same time, long-standing veterinary capacity issues were addressed with the launch of a new five-year veterinary medicine programme, delivered primarily in Letterkenny, with part of the programme based at Mountbellew Agricultural College. The course aims to increase domestic veterinary graduate numbers and reduce reliance on overseas training routes.</p><p>For livestock farmers, this was a structural investment in animal welfare rather than a short-term fix.</p><figure id="figure-j0e04lx5qamjsfxwni" class=""><img id="j0e04lx5qamjsfxwni" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1030239488/photo/young-woman-caring-for-cows.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=Yj2-Sg2tewCLFs0SXq3ru5Sli6VIGLSeRp6xmsiSv54=" alt="Young Woman Caring for Cows" title="Young Woman Caring for Cows" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1030239488/photo/young-woman-caring-for-cows.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=Yj2-Sg2tewCLFs0SXq3ru5Sli6VIGLSeRp6xmsiSv54=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Water Quality Tightens Its Grip<br></h3><p>From 1 January 2025, the revised EU Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive came into force, significantly expanding requirements around wastewater treatment and catchment outcomes.</p><p>The updated rules place new emphasis on advanced treatment processes designed to remove pharmaceutical residues and micro-pollutants, shifting water policy toward whole-system accountability. While agriculture is not the sole contributor to water quality pressures, farming remains a highly visible stakeholder within mixed-use catchments.</p><p>For many farmers, 2025 reinforced the reality that water quality debates are no longer siloed, and that local actions are increasingly judged in a national and European context.</p><figure id="figure-x286zmf07mjsg2ssf" class=""><img id="x286zmf07mjsg2ssf" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1072416940/photo/dirt-road-in-the-tollymore-forest-park.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=IwWQsEk1X36xj2VlbIKxH1X9xB9wYVgexQ4HR368KDQ=" alt="Dirt road in the Tollymore Forest Park" title="Dirt road in the Tollymore Forest Park" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1072416940/photo/dirt-road-in-the-tollymore-forest-park.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=IwWQsEk1X36xj2VlbIKxH1X9xB9wYVgexQ4HR368KDQ=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>€13.6m to Reconnect Rivers — With Farmers in the Middle<br></h3><p>One of the more constructive developments of the year was the allocation of €13.6 million to address 103 river barriers under the national Barrier Mitigation Programme.</p><p>Projects are scheduled to roll out over one to five years, depending on complexity, and are designed to restore fish migration and river connectivity. Many of the targeted waterways pass through agricultural land, meaning landowner cooperation is central to delivery.</p><p>The funding marked a shift toward practical biodiversity investment, backed by money rather than messaging.</p><figure id="figure-mgky0syii6mjsg3wc2" class=""><img id="mgky0syii6mjsg3wc2" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1494247832/photo/cong.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=B8kLiQ-m3pNsxduYrFuGzuhEekDYeIWhp69SNu2iIJI=" alt="Cong" title="Cong" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1494247832/photo/cong.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=B8kLiQ-m3pNsxduYrFuGzuhEekDYeIWhp69SNu2iIJI=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Nature Restoration: From Debate to Planning<br></h3><p>Nature restoration stopped being theoretical in 2025. Ireland formally began work on its National Nature Restoration Plan, which must be submitted by September 2026.</p><p>The plan will outline how Ireland intends to meet EU-wide restoration obligations across habitats, peatlands, rivers and farmland. For farmers, particularly in marginal areas, the concern wasn’t about biodiversity itself — but about how restoration targets would interact with productive land use and farm viability.</p><p>By the end of 2025, one thing was clear: early engagement will determine whether restoration becomes collaboration or conflict.</p><figure id="figure-5ut00ilypymjsg5uk9" class=""><img id="5ut00ilypymjsg5uk9" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/2252689232/photo/expansive-wicklow-high-bog-with-autumn-heather-distant-tree-cluster-and-unbroken-horizon.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=0mrSfAiP84F8iCl6eXir6iSbCgicG7SPkHtS4q28beo=" alt="Expansive Wicklow high bog with autumn heather, distant tree cluster, and unbroken horizon under a grey sky." title="Expansive Wicklow high bog with autumn heather, distant tree cluster, and unbroken horizon under a grey sky." class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/2252689232/photo/expansive-wicklow-high-bog-with-autumn-heather-distant-tree-cluster-and-unbroken-horizon.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=0mrSfAiP84F8iCl6eXir6iSbCgicG7SPkHtS4q28beo=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Climate Signals Become Harder to Ignore<br></h3><p>The global climate outlook hardened in 2025, with confirmation of a 70% probability that the average global temperature for the five-year period 2025–2029 will exceed 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.</p><p>Closer to home, it was confirmed that summer 2025 was Ireland’s warmest on record, with a mean temperature of 16.19°C. Research linked unusually high night-time temperatures to human-driven climate change, conditions farmers increasingly recognise through altered grass growth, extended grazing seasons and unpredictable workloads.</p><figure id="figure-kcykjsz7ncmjsg70wd" class=""><img id="kcykjsz7ncmjsg70wd" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/2251754156/photo/tall-striped-power-plant-chimney-smokes.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=HLgPb_qe6vfeubhaSiHpjlucKPV6o_rIyI4JNNhV7B0=" alt="tall striped power plant chimney smokes" title="tall striped power plant chimney smokes" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/2251754156/photo/tall-striped-power-plant-chimney-smokes.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=HLgPb_qe6vfeubhaSiHpjlucKPV6o_rIyI4JNNhV7B0=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>The Narwhal Nobody Expected<br></h3><p>In November 2025, a narwhal, an Arctic marine species, stranded in County Donegal, the first recorded instance in Ireland.</p><p>While not an agricultural issue in isolation, the event became a powerful symbol of wider ecosystem disruption linked to changing ocean and climate conditions.</p><figure id="figure-xa6f5zt6f1mjsg8ji4" class=""><img id="xa6f5zt6f1mjsg8ji4" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/489111334/photo/narwhal.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=aGH1lLwvu1GEvzczwlKBcGR0h4xiSUAD_DIwha-2GvU=" alt="Narwhal (Monodon monoceros)" title="Narwhal (Monodon monoceros)" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/489111334/photo/narwhal.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=aGH1lLwvu1GEvzczwlKBcGR0h4xiSUAD_DIwha-2GvU=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>A Bright Spot: Irish Whiskey Breaks Records<br></h3><p>Away from regulation and restriction, Ireland’s agri-food sector recorded a clear success. Irish whiskey reached record global sales of 16.15 million cases, with exports valued at over €1 billion.</p><p>The figures underline the scale of agriculture’s contribution beyond the farm gate, from grain production through to processing, branding and global export markets.</p><figure id="figure-rj9r90hdmimjsgfqc6"><img id="rj9r90hdmimjsgfqc6" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/2194797189/photo/japanese-whiskey-single-malt-in-rocks-glass-dark-green-background-with-tropical-leaves.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=aa11TFdfgIJSP73WJVY3mO-9bhoPUWge5VM-5Tfvxog=" alt="Japanese whiskey single malt in rocks glass. Dark green background with tropical leaves" title="Japanese whiskey single malt in rocks glass. Dark green background with tropical leaves" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/2194797189/photo/japanese-whiskey-single-malt-in-rocks-glass-dark-green-background-with-tropical-leaves.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=aa11TFdfgIJSP73WJVY3mO-9bhoPUWge5VM-5Tfvxog=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Small Change, Big Sense: Reusing ESB Poles<br></h3><p>One of the most practical updates of 2025 was confirmation that recycled ESB poles could be used as straining posts under ACRES fencing measures.</p><p>While a small regulatory clarification, it allowed farmers to reuse materials already available on farms, reducing costs and waste while remaining fully scheme-compliant, a rare example of policy aligning neatly with practicality.</p><figure id="figure-awfk98jermjsgjhlp" class=""><img id="awfk98jermjsgjhlp" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/0JD7adiUNoUfXapltHhTo46AcVimEeyRAwMuEAp2BlA1Au9rcqKmF5OGJca3U0fa.png" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/0JD7adiUNoUfXapltHhTo46AcVimEeyRAwMuEAp2BlA1Au9rcqKmF5OGJca3U0fa.png" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>2025 wasn’t an easy year for Irish farmers. Trade pressure, tighter rules, disease vigilance and climate signals all arrived at once. But it was also a year that delivered €80 million in renewable investment, €13.6 million for river restoration, expanded veterinary training capacity, and record agri-food exports.</p><p>There’s no false optimism here, just the steady confidence of a sector that has always adapted under pressure, one decision at a time.</p><p><br></p><p>*By Anne Hayden MSc., Founder, The Informed Farmer Consultancy.</p>

2025 in Irish Agriculture: When the Big Issues Stopped Being Abstract

blooming water in summer. mud floats on the surface

<h3>Introduction</h3><p>Anyone working in Irish aquaculture will tell you the job has always depended on the sea’s temperament. But lately, the sea seems to be changing its mind more often, and in ways that make farming harder. Problems that once came and went with the seasons now feel like they’re overlapping: sea lice arriving earlier, algal blooms turning up in places they didn’t before, and weather patterns that don’t behave the way they used to.</p><p>This isn’t random misfortune. Ireland’s climate and surrounding waters are warming and shifting, and those changes are feeding directly into the pressures farmers face in the bays and inlets along the coast.</p><figure id="figure-3prn8lnkxcmj1n69t1" class=""><img id="3prn8lnkxcmj1n69t1" src="https://cdn.durable.co/getty/2b9d7WieeVTzCtKlCpijXx6LjRTDp46LRxFjZAjwpTHRffFOW8z68Abr4RHIDNnL.jpeg" alt="algal bloom" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9;" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/getty/2b9d7WieeVTzCtKlCpijXx6LjRTDp46LRxFjZAjwpTHRffFOW8z68Abr4RHIDNnL.jpeg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9;"></figure><h3>Ireland’s Waters Are Warming — And It’s Changing the Rules</h3><p>Ireland as a whole is now about 0.7°C warmer and roughly 7% wetter than it was in the 1961–1990 period. That’s the backdrop, but the sea is telling its own story.</p><p>Global sea surface temperatures have climbed by around 0.88°C since the pre-industrial era, with about 0.6°C of that warming happening since 1980. The North Atlantic, including waters off Ireland, is warming at a pace that would have seemed unlikely a generation ago. In June 2023, sea temperatures off the southwest coast climbed to about 17.4°C, nearly 4°C above the long-term average for that time of year. Another marine heatwave in 2025 saw temperatures along stretches of the west and south coast run 3–4°C hotter than normal, classified at the “extreme” end of heatwave scales.</p><p>Across the globe, the number of marine heatwave days has increased by more than 50% over the last century. In nearby seas like the Celtic Sea, the odds of experiencing these events each year have risen sharply since the early 1990s. For fish farmers, this isn’t just scientific trivia, it’s the water their stock is breathing.</p><figure id="figure-tzlh3a31omj1na2ui" class=""><img id="tzlh3a31omj1na2ui" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1344219621/photo/the-globe-sinks-into-the-ocean-as-symbol-for-rising-sea-level-because-of-global-warming-and.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=9dPiMG-nOW-XnNbpr-TeRTMM2vHfmvis_D8IOhmgEUU=" alt="The globe sinks into the ocean as symbol for rising sea level because of global warming and pollution. Stormy ocean and dramatic sky." title="The globe sinks into the ocean as symbol for rising sea level because of global warming and pollution. Stormy ocean and dramatic sky." class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="null" data-positiony="null" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1344219621/photo/the-globe-sinks-into-the-ocean-as-symbol-for-rising-sea-level-because-of-global-warming-and.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=9dPiMG-nOW-XnNbpr-TeRTMM2vHfmvis_D8IOhmgEUU=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Sea Lice: A Small Parasite with a Big Advantage in Warm Water<br></h3><p>Sea lice have always been part of the Atlantic ecosystem, but warmer waters are tipping the odds in their favour. Their development speeds up dramatically with temperature. At around 6°C, it can take roughly 72 days for a female louse to reach adulthood. At 21°C, it can take only 13 days, more than five times faster.</p><p>They still develop perfectly well in the mid-range temperatures we see in Irish waters, but the warmer the sea, the more generations they can squeeze into a season. And Ireland’s winters, which once reliably slowed lice down, simply aren’t as cold now.</p><p>It’s little wonder farmers are seeing lice pressures building earlier in the year and lasting for longer. A parasite that used to be a predictable nuisance has become a moving target.</p><figure id="figure-bjjbvdn3lbmj1nbjbd" class=""><img id="bjjbvdn3lbmj1nbjbd" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/876213208/photo/sea-louse-and-pebble.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=cumVSv9kxwg93m_UCkuI_eKTfFyr1crHqAdh0cjtY-A=" alt="Sea Louse and pebble" title="Sea Louse and pebble" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/876213208/photo/sea-louse-and-pebble.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=cumVSv9kxwg93m_UCkuI_eKTfFyr1crHqAdh0cjtY-A=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Algal Blooms: A Growing Risk in Warm, Stratified Seas<br></h3><p>Harmful algal blooms are another problem that has shifted gear. They’ve always existed, but the conditions that encourage them are becoming more common. Warm, stable surface water is ideal for many bloom-forming species, and warmer seas provide it. Some of these algae can double their growth rate with even a small increase in temperature.</p><p>Ireland has also become about 5–7% wetter in recent decades, with heavier downpours and more intense rainfall events. When storms bring that sort of rain, nutrients wash off the land and flow into rivers and coastal waters. Warmer water plus nutrient pulses is exactly what many harmful species need to flourish.</p><p>We’ve already seen how severe blooms can become in this part of the world, Lough Neagh’s months-long bloom in 2023 being the most extreme recent example. The same principles apply offshore: warm water, calm conditions, and nutrient-rich runoff create perfect bloom conditions, especially in sheltered bays.</p><p>For farms, the consequences can be swift. Some species damage gills, others force harvesting closures, and even non-toxic blooms can lower oxygen enough to stress stock.</p><figure id="figure-g0dkiv0l6mj1nctr5" class=""><img id="g0dkiv0l6mj1nctr5" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/2165121909/photo/thick-green-algae-sludge-polluting-lough-water.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=deQGeLW6qwYAeB5v48N-Jjjt3K0Jp3e2wyIPp5h2G38=" alt="Thick green algae sludge polluting Lough water" title="Thick green algae sludge polluting Lough water" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/2165121909/photo/thick-green-algae-sludge-polluting-lough-water.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=deQGeLW6qwYAeB5v48N-Jjjt3K0Jp3e2wyIPp5h2G38=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Extreme Weather: Storms, Rainfall and Oxygen Stress<br></h3><p>The weather itself is becoming a more active player in aquaculture risk. Ireland now sees heavier rainfall, with average totals up by 5–7% compared to 50 years ago, and some storm downpours delivering around 12–20% more rain than they would have in a cooler climate. These intense events are now twice as likely as they once were.</p><p>Out at sea, storms are arriving with more energy, and heatwaves are doing something equally disruptive, they reduce oxygen levels in the water. Warmer water holds less oxygen, so a heatwave that lifts sea temperatures by 2–4°C can depress dissolved oxygen just when fish need it most.</p><p>A warm spell followed by a storm and topped off by a bloom is a nightmare scenario, but one farmers now have to plan for. The stresses stack, and fish that might cope with one challenge struggle when hit by three.</p><figure id="figure-vpex36xy3fmj1nnq4g" class=""><img id="vpex36xy3fmj1nnq4g" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1190985736/photo/climate-change-concept-thermometer-immersed-in-water.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=_qLI_85Sl-w3XcLeBUIg9OS5V-RXnh5VRoe3FLm6jFY=" alt="Climate change concept, thermometer immersed in water" title="Climate change concept, thermometer immersed in water" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1190985736/photo/climate-change-concept-thermometer-immersed-in-water.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=_qLI_85Sl-w3XcLeBUIg9OS5V-RXnh5VRoe3FLm6jFY=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>When It All Hits at Once<br></h3><p>Each of these challenges; sea lice, algal blooms, and extreme weather, is manageable on its own. The real problem is when they coincide.</p><p>A warm, early spring can accelerate sea lice and set up perfect conditions for an early bloom. A heatwave can weaken oxygen levels and leave stock more vulnerable to parasites and irritants. A storm can rip at infrastructure and stir up water layers that drive lice larvae and bloom species into new areas at exactly the wrong moment.</p><p>It’s the overlap that turns routine pressures into real risks.</p><figure id="figure-6ik56us3smj1notpv" class=""><img id="6ik56us3smj1notpv" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1313798936/photo/production-of-oysters-on-the-high-seas-mollusc-fish-farm-animal-production-for-feeding.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=CZQ_pHpSS4Hna6fxiIDd4bg1Bz1HogPr_Va4rDTOPB0=" alt="production of oysters on the high seas, mollusc fish farm. Animal production for feeding" title="production of oysters on the high seas, mollusc fish farm. Animal production for feeding" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1313798936/photo/production-of-oysters-on-the-high-seas-mollusc-fish-farm-animal-production-for-feeding.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=CZQ_pHpSS4Hna6fxiIDd4bg1Bz1HogPr_Va4rDTOPB0=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>How Fish Farmers Are Adapting<br></h3><p>One thing Irish farmers have never lacked is the ability to adapt. Across the coast, you can see the industry shifting to meet these new realities.</p><ul><li>Farms are using real-time monitoring for temperature, oxygen, salinity and plankton.</li><li>Sea lice strategies now combine multiple methods: cleaner fish, freshwater or mechanical treatments, and carefully timed fallowing.</li><li>Cages are being adjusted or lowered to help fish avoid warm surface layers or bloom concentrations.</li><li>Moorings and nets are being upgraded to cope with more energetic seas.</li><li>Neighbouring farms are sharing information much more quickly than they used to.</li></ul><p><br>It doesn’t remove the risk, but it does give farmers a fighting chance.</p><figure id="figure-z5bsedpqovmj1nr4lq" class=""><img id="z5bsedpqovmj1nr4lq" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/499120158/photo/fish-traps.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=eexyNGTPeuDxs2XFV81iMCQxvWeG9c4e407TCMYvP3Q=" alt="Fish Traps" title="Fish Traps" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/499120158/photo/fish-traps.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=eexyNGTPeuDxs2XFV81iMCQxvWeG9c4e407TCMYvP3Q=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>Climate change has already reshaped the waters around Ireland, and those trends are not going to reverse in the near future. But that doesn’t mean aquaculture can’t thrive. It means the industry will need to continue leaning into better monitoring, smarter planning, and flexible responses.</p><p>Sea lice, algal blooms and extreme weather aren’t new, but the way they behave now is. The difference from here on will be how well we adapt to the waters we have, not the waters we remember.</p><p><br></p><p>*By Anne Hayden MSc., Founder, The Informed Farmer Consultancy.</p>

Biosecurity Challenges for Irish Fish Farmers: Sea Lice, Algal Blooms, and Extreme Weather

<h3>Introduction</h3><p>Every so often, a report comes along that forces you to pause and look at the countryside with fresh eyes. The latest national assessment on Ireland’s protected habitats is one of those. Many of us who spend time around fields, bogs, rivers or woodland edges have sensed for a while that nature isn’t quite as robust as it used to be. The quieter hedgerows, the thinning chorus of birds in early spring, you pick up these things gradually. But seeing them translated into hard numbers hits differently.</p><p>And the numbers aren’t comforting. They show that roughly nine out of ten EU-protected habitats in Ireland are now in unfavourable condition, and more than half are actually in decline. These aren’t marginal or obscure areas tucked away in remote corners, they include bogs, dunes, wet grasslands, woodlands, and many of the ecosystems woven through our working countryside.</p><p>It’s a stark message, but not a hopeless one. The question is what we do next.</p><figure id="figure-ysp1l9asvmj1m6crx" class=""><img id="ysp1l9asvmj1m6crx" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1560719749/photo/gannet-with-nesting-materials-on-rocks-on-the-saltee-islands.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=8B8bkyadMoiPVOTyAOg9uAeY39YqrRp03Ht-2YiHMPE=" alt="Gannet with nesting materials on rocks on the Saltee Islands" title="Gannet with nesting materials on rocks on the Saltee Islands" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1560719749/photo/gannet-with-nesting-materials-on-rocks-on-the-saltee-islands.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=8B8bkyadMoiPVOTyAOg9uAeY39YqrRp03Ht-2YiHMPE=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>A Country Built on Nature’s Shoulders<br></h3><p>It’s easy to treat “habitats” as something abstract, nice to have, but separate from the business of farming or rural life. In reality, they underpin nearly everything the countryside depends on. They hold soils together, they clean water as it moves through the landscape, they store carbon; they carry whole communities of insects that pollinate crops and grasses; and they soften the impact of weather extremes.</p><p>When these systems start to weaken, it shows up everywhere else, often in subtle ways at first, more flooding here, poorer soil structure there, fewer insects working the land quietly in the background. Nature’s decline rarely announces itself with a fanfare; it chips away steadily until it’s impossible to ignore.</p><p>That’s why seeing around 90% of these protected habitats classified as “unfavourable” is such a warning sign. Protection on paper means very little if the living system underneath it continues to unravel.</p><figure id="figure-qn0q8hdhcmj1m9cv3" class=""><img id="qn0q8hdhcmj1m9cv3" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1264472306/photo/swans-cygnets-and-ducks.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=T8e92_X1b0oN1kPmEEJl4v-ubXpaIFyC3w-AmYfiCIM=" alt="Swans, cygnets and ducks" title="Swans, cygnets and ducks" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1264472306/photo/swans-cygnets-and-ducks.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=T8e92_X1b0oN1kPmEEJl4v-ubXpaIFyC3w-AmYfiCIM=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>How We Reached This Point<br></h3><p>The truth is that there isn’t one single culprit. It’s the cumulative effect of decisions made across decades.</p><p>Farming has, of course, played a part, largely because it occupies most of Ireland’s land area. Drainage, reseeding, fertiliser use, tidying of field edges, cutting and converting land: individually, none of these things seem dramatic. But over time, they reshape the landscape in ways we don’t always see until much later.</p><p>There are other pressures too: peat extraction, poorly planned development, forestry on vulnerable soils, pollution entering rivers, and the increasing stress of climate change. Habitats that were once resilient have become fragile, and fragile systems tip quickly.</p><p>None of this is about blaming farmers or communities. It’s about understanding the scale of the challenge and the need to respond with that scale in mind.</p><figure id="figure-5xbbf0x3lemj1md3jo" class=""><img id="5xbbf0x3lemj1md3jo" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1271210827/photo/metal-gate-rural-lane-edged-by-hedges-leading-towards-mountains-in-the-distance.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=EQdbi42TGzV-vuLT2H3B1q7QuBVXboUExVPFLx3JAoU=" alt="Metal gate Rural lane, edged by hedges, leading towards mountains in the distance" title="Metal gate Rural lane, edged by hedges, leading towards mountains in the distance" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1271210827/photo/metal-gate-rural-lane-edged-by-hedges-leading-towards-mountains-in-the-distance.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=EQdbi42TGzV-vuLT2H3B1q7QuBVXboUExVPFLx3JAoU=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>What All This Means for Farmers and Land Managers</h3><p>If you work the land, this isn’t an environmental story happening somewhere else, it’s happening around your gates and ditches and hedgerows. A lot of the habitats in trouble are intertwined with farmland: species-rich grasslands now much rarer than they should be, hedgerows losing structure and depth, wetlands that once soaked up water now drained or degraded, peatlands that no longer store carbon the way they used to.</p><p>And while some of these shifts feel slow, they do have real consequences. A poorly functioning habitat won’t hold water in heavy rain. A simplified grassland doesn’t bounce back from drought. A farm without insects and birds eventually becomes a farm fighting nature instead of working with it.</p><p>But farmers are also central to the solution. Many (if not all) already take pride in good land stewardship, they know that a farm only prospers when the land beneath it is healthy. What’s needed now is more support for the kind of measures that restore resilience rather than simply maintain the status quo. </p><p>That might mean:</p><ul><li>Letting certain margins or corners rewild a little.</li><li>Restoring wetlands or peat areas instead of keeping them drained.</li><li>Planting or thickening hedgerows in ways that bring back structure.</li><li>Creating space for species-rich areas that strengthen the whole farm ecosystem.</li></ul><p>None of these changes require abandoning production, they’re about shaping a farm that can cope with the pressures coming its way.</p><figure id="figure-flgzr7fzuxmj1mgza7" class=""><img id="flgzr7fzuxmj1mgza7" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1344213416/photo/lush-green-forest-and-fields-on-the-hills-and-valley-of-glenariff-forest-park.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=icFNb9tdu1C9gBmhR9lUoUQ7rKYVFel4n5Wyn4jfF3I=" alt="Lush green forest and fields on the hills and valley of Glenariff Forest Park" title="Lush green forest and fields on the hills and valley of Glenariff Forest Park" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1344213416/photo/lush-green-forest-and-fields-on-the-hills-and-valley-of-glenariff-forest-park.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=icFNb9tdu1C9gBmhR9lUoUQ7rKYVFel4n5Wyn4jfF3I=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>A Bad Situation, Yes — But Not a Final One<br></h3><p>The figures are alarming, but they are not a verdict. They are a diagnosis. And once you have a diagnosis, you can start treating the problem properly.</p><p>The fact that over 50% of protected habitats are in decline means the ground is shifting beneath us faster than we might like to admit. But it also means there is still plenty worth saving and restoring, nature recovers more quickly than people expect when it’s given space, time and halfway decent conditions.</p><p>Ireland’s bogs, dunes, heaths and grasslands are living systems. They are damaged, but not doomed.</p><p>If the country, farmers, policymakers, local communities, decide to work in the same direction, we could see a very different report in a decade’s time. One that talks about recovery instead of decline.</p><p>This moment is a pivot point. The question is whether we take it.</p><figure id="figure-36tk2l1odjmj1mj0em" class=""><img id="36tk2l1odjmj1mj0em" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1569639658/photo/red-fox-cub.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=MMSMwhmbwr_bq42SF59BhcfzzShEWYJvKGGVPlYzalU=" alt="Red fox cub" title="Red fox cub" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1569639658/photo/red-fox-cub.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=MMSMwhmbwr_bq42SF59BhcfzzShEWYJvKGGVPlYzalU=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>It’s hard to imagine an Ireland where habitats don’t rebound, partly because they’ve always been such a constant presence, the bog you drove past on school runs, the meadow buzzing on a warm June morning, the woodland you walked through on Sundays. But constants only stay constant if we mind them.</p><p>This latest assessment is a reminder that taking the countryside for granted is no longer an option. And yet, in the same breath, it’s a reminder that there is room to put things right, and that many farmers and rural communities are already doing just that, quietly, year after year.</p><p>Ireland’s habitats are struggling, but they’re not finished. With the right actions, they can move from decline to renewal, and that’s something every one of us has a stake in.</p><p><br data-mce-bogus="1"></p><p>*By Anne Hayden MSc., Founder, The Informed Farmer Consultancy.</p>

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