This presentation was given at the Catchment Management Network meeting on February 24th 2017. The Catchment Management Network consists of the EPA, all of Ireland's Local Authorities, and other public bodies involved in looking after Ireland's catchments, sub-catchments and water bodies. For more information about this work see www.catchments.ie

1. The Environmental Challenge for Irish
Dairy-
A Common Proposal
National Dairy
Sustainability Initiative
24 February 2017

2. Strategic Context
National economic and local development - international market growth agriculture.
Food Wise, Origin Green, Agri-expansion – national policy.
Regulatory - Water Framework Directive, Nitrates Dgn, Climate Change, Bio-Diversity, Clean Air.
International Market Demand for Sustainable Agri Product.
Catchment Mgt Approaches, DHPCLG Waters Policies and Mgt Structures, EPA Catchments.ie
EPA State of the Environment Report.
Dept of Agriculture/Teagasc ACP Programme /Tams/Glas, Sustainable Dairy Assurance Scheme.
Teagasc Nutrient Management Planning System- Teagasc Soil Fertility Improvement.
Market Volatility - improve economic sustainability for farmers.
An integrating framework – all positions.

3. Economic and Market Development -
Milk Expansion
Outside of cities, agriculture,agri-processingand innovationand particularlymilkexpansionis critical
path to Irelands economicrecovery and development via incomes,employment, multiplier effect,
wealth creation and exports -Food Harvest 2020 – Food Wise 2025.
Milk expansionmust be achieved as a local,regional and national economicdevelopment priority.
Programme for Govt focus on rural revival - regional and rural economicand social development.
Dairy Co-ops and farmers drivingeconomic growth/consolidationin rural areas,Dairygold,Kerry,
Carbery,Glanbia,Lakelands,LacPatrick,Aurivo,Arrabawn,Centenaryetc– farm bodies ICOS, ICMSA,
IFA, Macra – Dept of Agriculture and Food,Teagasc,Bord Bia, Ornua.
Environmentalsustainabilitya key issue for international/business to business customers, BordBia
Origin Green – significant success.
Environmentalsustainabilitya key issue for environment policyand regulatorybodies -Depts of HPCLG,
Dept of Ag, the EPA and local authorities,and also for the EU Commission re water quality, nitrates
derogation,climate change, clean air and bio-diversity.

4. Food Wise 2025 – Market Growth
• Strong focus on Sustainability in Food Wise 2025,
recognition of significant challenges of agri-expansion
in meeting national and international targets for air
quality, bio-diversity and water quality.
• Strategies outlined to address and surpass significant
challenges for air quality, bio-diversity and water
quality, if economic gains to be achieved.
• Identification of need for significant effort –
recognition that environmental sustainability and
economic sustainability are complementary – scientific
evidence based data to underpin Origin Green
• Ambition for Ireland to be world leader in sustainable
agriculture as a differentiating market growth strategy

5. Bord Bia Origin Green Promise –
Market Growth
• Verified Commitment to Sustainability all along the supply chain
• The only sustainability programme in the world uniting all sectors to
achieve measurable sustainability targets – reducing environmental
impact, serving communities and protecting rich natural resource
• The Green Charter – development of more stringent ways of
working where 100% of Irelands exporters on the road to
sustainability in 2016
• Proven and independently verified commitment to sustainability
across all raw natural sources, manufacturing processes and social
sustainability – five year plan for sustainability improvements
• Origin Green a major international marketing success, business
impact and growth, Bord Bia Sustainability Report 2015 - evolution
and development

6. Sustainability Pillars
The EU Water
Framework
Directive/Nitrates
Derogation
Climate Change –
EU and national
policy – Clean air
package
Bio-Diversity

7. Dairy Sustainability Initiative
Established Q4 2016 by decision of Dairy Co-ops
with participationby cross sectoral Govt Depts,
Agencies, local authorities and farm
representative bodies.

8. Dairy Sustainability Initiative
Objectives
• To seek to address the sustainability objectives set out in
Food Wise 2025 in recognition of the significant challenges
of agri-expansion in meeting national and international
targets for water quality, climate change, the clean air
package, and bio-diversity, recognizing that environmental
sustainability and economic sustainability are
complementary.
• To develop environmental programmes and strategies to
underpin and advance Origin Green with a focus on
improving on farm performance in relation to the
objectives and requirements of the Water Framework
Directive, national and EU objectives and requirements in
relation to Climate Change, the clean air package, and the
Bio-diversity Directive.

9. Dairy Sustainability Initiative
Objectives
• To act pro-actively and collaboratively, with a whole of
sector, whole of Govt approach, as an industry
initiative, with farm bodies and with all public and
private stakeholders to achieve objectives on a multi
annual basis.
• To establish (1) a National Dairy Sustainability Forum -
high level and strategic - to oversee and develop the
Dairy Sustainability Initiative, (2) a Sectoral Technical
Working Group which will be the main support to the
Forum, and (3) a farm pilots development and
implementation group – Co-ops and Teagasc.

10. Phased Multi Annual Approach
• Water, climate change and ecology – phase 1
• Subsequent phases to focus to a greater
degree on Climate Change, Clean Air, and Bio-
Diversity.

11. Composition National Dairy
Sustainability Forum
• Co-Chaired - Industry and Govt Depts.
• Co-ops - Aurivo, Carbery, Dairygold, Glanbia,
Lakeland,Kerry, Ornua and the NDC.
• Govt Depts – HPCLG, Agriculture and Food.
• Farm Bodies – ICOS, ICMSA, IFA, and Macra.
• State Agencies – EPA, Bord Bia, Teagasc, and
• Local Authorities – LAWCO Shared Services
Team.

12. Sectoral Technical Working Group
• IDIA,
• Bord Bia,
• Co-ops – Aurivo, Carbery, Dairygold, Glanbia,
Lakeland,and Kerry,
• Dept of Agriculture and Food
• ICOS, ICMSA, IFA and Macra, and
• Teagasc.

13. Farm Pilots Group
• IDIA,
• Aurivo, Carbery, Dairygold, Glanbia, Lakeland
and Kerry,
• Teagasc – Wexford and Moorepark,and
• Dept of Agriculture and Food.

14. Implementation Phase 1
• National Dairy Sustainability Forum, Technical
Working Group and Pilots Working Group
established and operational.

15. Implementation Phase 1
• Content and strategies developed for the promotion by the
Co-ops of a soil fertility/nmp/env improvement programme
for farms to be delivered by the Co-ops to their suppliers
via Co-op channels and agri-media. Roll out this year.
• Content and strategies developed for the promotion by the
Co-ops of best practice in farmyard waters mgt- delivery by
Co-ops and agri-media. Roll out this year.
• Pilot programme underway by six Co-ops for 30 farms each,
with Teagasc advice, which will apply and test best
practices in soil testing, Nutrient Management Planning
and implementation, soil fertility improvement and env
improvement.

16. Summary – Dairy Sustainability
Initiative - an Integrating Framework
Pro-active partnership, Collaborative, Whole of Sector, Whole of Govt, Industry led
working with all stakeholders to address and seek to improve soil fertility/ nutrient
management planning/water quality/climate change/clean air/ bio-diversity over a
5/6 year period.
National Dairy Sustainability Forum , Sectoral Technical Working Group and Farm
Pilots Group to develop and implement the Integrating Framework.
Phase 1 being implemented – focus on water quality, climate change and ecology.
Phase 1 – promotion of on farm best practice by the Co-ops on NMP and on best
farmyard practice and implementation farm pilots by six Co-ops with Teagasc.
Later phases with greater focus on Climate Change, Clean air and Bio-diversity.

17. Summary - Dairy Sustainability
Initiative – an Integrating Framework
Dairy Sector Participation in New River Basin
National Mgt Structures.
Roll out by Co-ops of learnings from pilots on a
phased basis.
On-going evaluation of learnings.
Supporting Water Framework Directive,
Climate Change, Bio-Diversity and Clean Air.
Supporting Food Wise, evolution/development
of Origin Green.