In 2024, we launched the Activate Ireland programme in partnership with Bord Bia, Teagasc, the Irish Cattle Breeders Federation and Herdwatch. The programme is designed to assist transformation within the beef supply chain by accelerating and incentivising the adoption of science-based solutions to improve emissions efficiency on farm. These solutions identified by Teagasc aim to mitigate biodiversity loss, enhance soil health, and help combat global warming.
The programme is open to beef, dairy beef and suckler-beef farmers.
Goal
The goal of the project is to accelerate climate action by incentivising the reduction of farm carbon footprints by 3% per year through knowledge sharing, training, quality data and the development of bespoke farm sustainability plans.
Progress
- We launched Activate Ireland in 2024 in partnership with McDonald’s, Bord Bia, Teagasc, the Irish Cattle Breeders Federation and Herdwatch, committing an initial investment of €4.4 million for 3 years.
- The initial group consisted of 50 farmers, this has increased to 240 as of June 2026.
- The initial pilot group of 52 farms onboarded in 2024, have now completed 2 rounds of carbon foot-printing, and achieved a weighted average 4.2% reduction in emissions intensity, compared to baseline. The remaining farms who joined in 2025 have established baselines and will be reported upon in the next update.
- Farmers complete the Bord Bia Sustainability Survey and online training designed by Dawn Meats and Bord Bia, enhancing knowledge in key areas including climate, soil health, water quality and biodiversity.
- Farmers develop a bespoke sustainability plan tailored to their enterprise, aimed at reducing emissions and improving productivity. Plans are developed and monitored using the AgNav tool, which models the impact of selected actions and informs decision-making.
- Recommended actions are based on the 12 measures from the Teagasc MACC, which identify cost-effective interventions on-farm, and implementation plans is tracked and verified to ensure progress.
- Activate is an industry-leading initiative, offering farmers a dividend of up to 10c/kg for achieving a 3% annual reduction in their beef carbon footprint.
Key Measures Adopted on Activate Ireland Farms
95%
of farms using Low Emissions Slurry Spreading (LESS)
87%
of farms applying lime to balance soil acidity and improve soil health
72%
of farms using Protected Urea
35%
of farms expanding clover usage in swards
Over 1,000 on farm actions, 5 priority target areas:
Slurry Management, Grassland Management, Animal Health and Performance, Energy Management, Biodiversity and Water Quality
