Water
Protecting a Precious Resource
Water is a vital resource and Irish Hereford Prime farmers are taking action to protect it, ensuring clean, healthy waterways for current and future generations. From stream fencing to solar pumps, water stewardship is now an integral part of sustainable beef farming.
Our members benefit from the €60 million Farm for Water Environmental Innovation Partnership (EIP) which funds 43 practical measures to improve water quality. These include fencing waterways, installing nose or solar pumps, managing wet corners and planting buffer zones. The programme, supported by Teagasc and LAWPRO, is confidential, farmer-led and aims to drive real, on-farm improvements.
ASSAP advisor Claire Mooney highlighted the wider impact: “If you think of water quality, it’ll have a core benefit with biodiversity and sustainability. We can’t have one without the other.” The scheme even offers custom solutions to reflect the diversity of Irish farms.
Farmers like Timmy Lane in Co. Cork are already making a difference. By fencing off waterways and maintaining watercourses, Timmy is reducing nutrient loss, supporting wildlife and protecting downstream users. These actions also build climate resilience by regulating water flow, helping to prevent flash floods and drought damage.
Proper watercourse management boosts biodiversity too, supporting species like salmon and kingfishers. At Irish Hereford Prime, we see this as a shared responsibility and a key part of farming smarter, not harder.
Clean water, thriving ecosystems and resilient farms go hand in hand and our farmers are leading the way.
