Pilot Projects

Irish Hereford Prime is committed to supporting sustainable beef production and helping our farmer members measure, understand and enhance the environmental performance of their farms. Our Pilot Environmental Scheme is a new initiative involving eight Irish Hereford Prime farmer members, designed to establish a clear and consistent environmental baseline across participating farms.

As part of the pilot, we are carrying out detailed assessments focused on three key areas:

• Soil nutrient levels – analysing key indicators including Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K) and pH
• Habitats and biodiversity – mapping and classifying on-farm habitats to better understand biodiversity value
• Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) – using modelling to measure and track soil carbon stocks and changes over time

Together, these results will provide a robust baseline for soil health, carbon levels and biodiversity, helping to inform future actions and progress across the Irish Hereford Prime farm network.

One of the farmers taking part is Irish Hereford Prime member Mervyn Johnston (Longford). Mervyn is also participating in the Senus Purlieu Pilot Programme, supporting the development of the Senus (formerly FARMEYE) hedge monitoring system. This work will help advance how hedgerows are assessed and managed on Irish farms — strengthening our understanding of their role in biodiversity, carbon storage and overall farm sustainability.