Taoiseach and Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine open key agri-climate conference
- Foilsithe:
- An t-eolas is déanaí: 5 Meitheamh 2025
- Department-funded research shows feed additive has the potential for a 10-28% reduction in methane indoors
- feed additive can benefit animal performance and reduce methane Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine climate conference hears
Taoiseach Micheál Martin today opened the ‘Agriculture and Climate Change: Science into Action’ conference at Dublin Castle. Hosted by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, and Minister of State with responsibility for research, Noel Grealish, the conference is dedicated to addressing the intricate relationship between agriculture and climate change. The 500 delegates in attendance will hear from national and international scientists on the latest research to reduce agricultural emissions and enhance carbon storage on farms across the country. The conference takes place alongside a meeting of the Global Research Alliance for Agricultural Greenhouse Gases which Ireland, through the department, is currently chairing.
In his opening address, the Taoiseach said:
“Today’s conference is about building a shared path forward that ensures the next generation of farmers inherits not only a liveable planet but also a thriving, competitive, and respected agricultural sector. The transition to climate-smart agriculture does not need to be a burden. It is a chance to safeguard what matters most — our land, our water, our food, our planet and our future. It is a chance to show that climate action and agricultural excellence can go hand in hand — and that Irish farmers can lead the way.”
Welcoming leading international scientists, policymakers, and agri-food sector stakeholders to the conference, Minister Heydon said:
“Reducing emissions from agriculture is a monumental challenge, but one that the sector is taking seriously, evidenced by the huge interest in today’s conference.
“We have assembled some of the best national and international researchers, whose findings are providing the practices and technologies we need to reduce emissions, while continuing to produce food. Research funding from my department has supported world-leading agri-climate research in universities, Teagasc and other institutes across the country. In 2023 and 2024, this funding created 132 new research positions in agriculture and climate research across 28 projects. This ensures we have some of the best research talent in the world working on these complex scientific areas.”
Continuing, Minister Heydon said:
“Today’s conference will see a wide range of exciting research updates, including, for example, Irish research demonstrating the potential for a 10-28% reduction in methane from a feed additive, depending on the animal type, diet, and the inclusion rate of the additive. In addition, and for the first time in Ireland, one study has demonstrated both an animal performance benefit from feeding the additive, as well as its ability to reduce methane. The challenge going forward is to bring these tools into widespread use on Irish farms – and to do that, we are working with farmers every step of the way. Our farmers are innovators and are ready to lead on climate action – not just for Ireland, but as an example to the world.”
Speaking at the conference, Minister of State Grealish said:
“Today’s event offers an opportunity to take stock of the extensive research taking place to reduce and offset agricultural greenhouse gas emissions, while also recognising the tremendous international collaborations taking place. My department alone has invested over €48 million in research in this area since 2020 and we will continue to build on this through awards I will announce later this year arising from the 2025 Thematic Research Call, as well as our involvement in the Global Research Alliance for Agricultural Greenhouse Gases."
Delegates will hear about research progress including:
- animal breeding to reduce methane: The department funded ‘ROADMAP’ project has developed one of the largest databases in the world for methane production in animals. This has demonstrated that there is potential to select and breed animals that can produce 10-20% less methane. This is allowing Irish farmers to select bulls for lower methane emissions with no impact on other desirable traits such as animal performance
- feed additives to reduce methane: Research funded by the department is investigating anti-methane feed additives in both indoor settings and delivery mechanisms to outdoor ruminant animals. Experiments conducted on a calcium-peroxide-based feed additive known as RumenGlas have demonstrated a potential 10-28% reduction in methane in an indoor setting, depending on the animal type, the diet, and the inclusion rate of the additive. In addition, one study conducted in conjunction with the Global Research Alliance demonstrated the potential for both an animal performance benefit (12% higher growth rate and feed conversion efficiency in growing beef cattle) as well as a reduction in methane (-10%) for the first time ever in an Irish setting. This finding will be tested in further studies
- biostimulants to reduce chemical nitrogen fertiliser requirements: use of an algal-based biostimulant can reduce chemical nitrogen requirement by 20% (in turn reducing emissions) with no impact on grass production or quality
- fertiliser formulation to reduce emissions: Using protected urea can reduce grassland emissions by more than 70%, while nitrification inhibitor products in fertiliser formulations can reduce emissions by 89%
Notes
Agriculture and Climate Change: Science into Action 2025 Conference
Conference website: https://agriclimateconf.com
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s “Agriculture and Climate Change – Science into Action” 2025 conference is dedicated to addressing the intricate relationship between agriculture and climate change.
Key aims of the conference:
- bring stakeholders up to date on the latest climate policy developments relating to agriculture and land use
- present the latest scientific developments on measuring and mitigating the principal agricultural greenhouse gases and facilitate discussion on how this research can inform policy and be implemented on farms
- set out the developments relating to customer, consumer and market expectations and trends around sustainable agriculture, food and land use
- demonstrate the many positive steps that agriculture and land use are taking to contribute to mitigating climate change, thus stimulating further positive momentum
Global Research Alliance for Agricultural Greenhouse Gases
For more information on the GRA, go to Global Research Alliance.