farmers champion river boyne water quality efforts

Farmers, advisors, and industry stakeholders convened at Newgrange Farm in Slane, County Meath, to celebrate practical on-farm actions that support healthy waterways and sustainable land management across the Boyne catchment. The Better Farming for Water event, hosted on a local beef and tillage farm, demonstrated how productive farming systems can coexist with improved water quality. Attendees engaged with experts and visited demonstration stands covering nutrient management, watercourse protection, and farm infrastructure.

The gathering also marked the launch of From the Fields to the Boyne, a new five-part video series developed by Teagasc. Produced by Matthew Walker from Mapped Meaning, the episodes combine stunning landscape imagery with personal farmer experiences to showcase the pride farmers have in their local environment. The series explores the relationship between agriculture, nature, and the River Boyne through a distinctive storytelling approach, highlighting the legacy farmers hope to leave for future generations.

In the first episode, North Kildare farmer Godfrey Potterton reflects on his family’s connection to the land and the measures taken to protect waterways, including fencing livestock away from the river and planting over 300 metres of native hedgerow. Fiona Doolan, Boyne Catchment Coordinator with Teagasc, emphasised that the series is about people, place, and the strong connection farmers have with their surroundings. Episodes will be released every Tuesday evening at 8pm over the coming weeks across Teagasc digital channels, with further features from farmers in the region.