Higher Diploma in Environmental Management

Environmental Audit ReportWalsh Family Farm

By

Mervyn Walsh(20159236)

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ContentsChapter Page

Acknowledgements ii

Research Methodology iii

1. Executive Summary 4

2. Environmental Audit: Walsh Family Farm

Introduction 6

S1 – Environmental Policy 7

S2 – Environmental Training & Systems of Work 8

S3 – Products & Operations 10

S4 – Materials Use & Storage 13

S5 – Waste Management 15

S6 – Effluent Treatment & Discharge 18

S7 – Emissions to Atmosphere 20

S8 – Noise & Nuisance 25

S9 – Land & Property Management 26

S10 – Incident & Emergency Response 32

Controls & Environmental Management Systems 33

3. Conclusions 35

4. Recommendations 37

5. Bibliography & References 41

Appendix A

Appendix B: Environmental Audit Proforma

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Acknowledgements

The author wishes to acknowledge all those who assisted and advised him during the course of the Environmental Audit, especially:

Mr Pat Walsh

Farm Principal & Proprietor

Dunfierth Lodge & Farm

Johnstown Bridge

Enfield

Co Kildare

Dermot Guiney MSc EDM, BSc(Eng), Dip(Eng), MIEI

Environmental Lecturer

Communication & Management Institute Ireland

14A Cashel Business Centre

Cashel Road

Dublin 12

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Research Methodology

The author on receipt of the environmental audit specification conducted an

environmental due diligence of various work related sites. The author choose the

Walsh Family Farm as it presented a multitude of environmental issues in the day-to-

day management of the business. A comprehensive investigative study and

environmental audit was conducted at the farm. The research involved the following

data sources:

Primary Data Collection:

Primary data collection consisted of meetings and informal interviews of the farm

principal proprietor, family and staff.

During the course of the audit, personal observations were noted having reviewed

ten subject areas in the context of the natural and working environment.

Secondary Data Collection:

The following secondary data sources were consulted:

- Walsh Family Farm Records- Trade magazines and Newspapers- Independent Research Publications from Teagasc, Environmental

Protection Agency, Monaghan County Council- Academic & Trade Publications- Internet e.g. on-line publications and blogs

The use of both primary and secondary data sources enabled the author to compete

the environmental audit. This enabled a critical appraisal of the strengths,

weaknesses, opportunities and threats within this farming enterprise.

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1. Executive Summary The objective of the project is to conduct an environmental audit to examine the

environmental impacts of a site for which the author has an intimate working

knowledge. The author has undertaken an environmental audit on the Walsh family

farm where he was born and lived for over forty years. This is a grassland farm and

beef food producing enterprise in county Kildare.

The environmental impact of agriculture varies based on the wide variety of

agriculture practices employed on the farm. The connection between emissions into

the environment and the farming system is indirect, as it also depends on other

climate variables such as rainfall and temperature.

There are two types of indicators of environmental impact: “means-based”, which is

based on the production methods used on the farm and “effect-based”, which is the

impact that farming methods have on the farming system or on emissions to the

environment. For example: a means-based indicator would be the quality of

groundwater that is effected by the amount of nitrogen applied to the soil. An

indicator reflecting the loss of nitrate to groundwater would be effect-based.

The Walsh Family Farm food business adheres to good agricultural practices

(GAP’s) which are applied to beef production processes, which result in safe healthy

food, taking into account economic, social and environmental sustainability. The farm

principal is Pat Walsh working full-time on the farm and his shareholding partner is

Declan Walsh, a son of the principal, whom works part-time on the farm.

GAP’s are applied to a wide range of farming systems and rely on four key

principles:

The economic and efficient production of safe and nutritious food.

Sustaining natural resources.

Maintaining farming enterprises and livelihoods.

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Meeting the social and cultural demands of society and the local community.

GAP’s provide opportunities to decide which farming practices to follow and achieve

higher production.

For example, some GAP’s relate to soil:

Reduction of erosion by hedging & creating ditches.

The correct application of both natural and organic fertilisers.

The use of manure, grazing and crop rotation in restoring and maintaining the

organic content of the soil.

Green manuring by incorporating clover into grassland swards contributing to

better water quality as grasslands need less nitrogen from fertilisers.

Protecting of soil structure by limiting use of heavy machinery thus reducing

soil compaction and water run-off.

Some GAP’s relate to water:

Sustainable use of water on the farm.

Avoiding flooding and soil leaching.

Creating and promoting catchment sensitive farming practices in areas of

flooding, improving water quality, creating a wildlife habitat and reducing the

impact of flooding.

Maintaining plant cover to avoid water run-off in the Autumn/Winter season.

GAP’s relating to animal husbandry, health & welfare:

Respect of animals.

Routine worming, illness or disease prevention.

Reducing the transport of live animals thus reducing the stress caused to

animals and the risk of illness.

Keeping records so that all animals and their treatments can be traced from

farm to fork.

Key recommendations are made for continuous environmental improvement on the

Walsh Family farm enterprise.

3. Conclusions5

1. The key environmental impacts on the Walsh Family Farm are a variety of

factors from soil, water, air, animal and soil diversity, people, plants and the

food itself. Some other environmental issues related to the farm are climate

change, deforestation, genetic engineering, pollutants, soil degradation and

waste management.

2. There is a clear environmental policy on the Walsh Farm compliant with all EU

and national environmental legislation. Good agricultural practices are

adopted to mitigate against environmental issues presented on the farm.

3. The participation in Rural Environment Protection Scheme (REPS) and the

Bord Bia Quality Assurance Scheme (BQAS) provides the primary system

framework for setting, monitoring and evaluating environmental objectives

annually.

4. Soil quality is essential for food production and an adequate water supply of

potable water. Waterlogging, compaction, pesticide/fertilizer contamination,

decline in soil structure quality, loss of fertility, changes in acidity, alkalinity,

salinity are all attributes of soil degradation. These factors have a huge impact

on soil degradation which effects the microbial community of the soil and alter

nutrient cycling. The Walsh Family have a nutrient management plan in place

to monitor and control soil quality on their farm.

5. Livestock movement, fallen livestock, burning, tree felling and waste disposal

require notification, authorisation and permits from the relevant authorities

responsible for their issuing.

6. Slurry agitation is a high risk operation with the potential to cause gas

poisoning from emitting Hydrogen Sulphide (H2S). This is lethal gas to both

humans and livestock, fatal in seconds and from only one breath.

7. Incident and emergency response is not a legal requirement. The

Environmental Protection Agency on requires incident notification at a

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licensed premises or where a permit is issued on foot of burning, tree felling

or waste disposal.

8. There are no compliance issues on the Walsh farm concerning the “Good

Agricultural Practice for Protection of Water Regulations 2014” which has

cross compliance implications under the Basic Farm Payment scheme.

9. The Rural Environment Protection Scheme (REPS) has recently been

replaced by a new environment scheme called GLAS – Green Low Carbon

Agr-Environmental Scheme. It is a new agri-environment scheme part of the

Rural Development Plan 2014-2020.

10.The greatest challenge of Food Harvest 2020 and as outlined by Bord Bia in

the Origin Green Campaign is the production of food for a growing global

population. The greatest challenge for the Walsh Family Farm in the

foreseeable future is trying to keep pace with food production expectations

without compromising measures already taken against to protect the farm and

natural environment.

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4. Recommendations

1. A mobile gas detector for Hydrogen Sulphide (H2S) and methane (CH4)

should be purchased and operated to detect gas emission levels during slurry

agitation thus mitigating against fatalities caused by poisonous gas emissions

to the atmosphere. Action: DW / By When: July 2016

2. From the 26th November 2015 all professional users of pesticides/sprays must

be registered with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine under

the Sustainable Use Directive (SUD). As a professional user you must register

with the DAFM, farm using general principles of integrated pest management,

record records demonstration application and complete a professional user

training course. The Walsh Family need to ensure compliance in this area. Action: DW / By When: November 2016

3. It is recommended that the signage “Slurry Gases” be replaced at the two

slurry agitation points at either end of the main slatted livestock shed on the

farm. Action: DW / By When: June 2016

4. Over seeding of white clover into permanent grassland should be conducted

on 20% of the farm each year on five year rotations. This will improve sward

nutritive value (digestibility and crude protein), assist with meeting the

requirements of the Nitrates Directive and cut costs associated with nitrogen

fertilizer spreading. This further contributes to better water quality as

grassland pastures need less nitrogen from fertilisers. Action: PW / By When:

April 2017

5. A drainage plan for the site should be developed as part of effective pollution

control. It is recommended that surface water drains be painted blue and foul

water drains be painted red. Action: PW&DW / By When: October 2016

6. A bund should be constructed for the diesel fuel tanks. The construction

should be sturdy lined with material impervious to oil with no damp course.

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The capacity of the bund should be should be the capacity of the largest tank

plus 10%. Action: PW / By When: September 2016

7. The installation of a solar-powered water pump should be considered as part

of energy reduction. Direct current motors are used for small to medium

applications up to 3kW rating thus suitable for applications such as providing

drinking water for livestock and domestic dwelling houses. Majority of pumps

are fitted with a 200 watt – 3,000 watt motor that receives energy from a 1,800

Wp PV solar panel. Action: PW&DW / By When: June 2016

8. The installation of a weather station should be considered as a tool for farm

management. Temperature and rainfall can be measured and monitored thus

aiding management decisions concerning silage harvesting and climate

change mitigation against flooding or adverse weather conditions. Action: DW /

By When: October 2016

9. The installation of separate electricity meters for both the farm and farm

house. Electricity bills should be monitored monthly to assess and track

usage. Energy use should be calculated in relation to livestock output e.g.

kWh / bullock or kWh / hectare of land farmed. The key performance indicator

can also be calculated in € / KWh. The results should be benchmarked

against similar size / output beef producing farm enterprises. Action: PW&DW /

By When: August 2016

10.Renewable energy options e.g. timber / wood pellet, solar panels, geothermal

and biogas should be considered as part of sustainable energy generation

and as part of climate change mitigation and further efficient use of energy

resources. The options should be considered in line with any government

grants toward the implementation of such projects. Action: PW&DW / By When:

September 2016

11.Reduce the farms carbon footprint by implementing the following:

- Measure and monitor the farm operation to track performance. From feed use per animal to fertiliser usage to sales weight, data trends can help track progress and identify areas for improvement.

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- Benchmark performance against others can help review the farm operation, identify which parts of the enterprise could adjust to improve efficiency and set targets.

- Focus on daily live weight gains to reduce emissions. On a typical beef farm the majority of carbon emissions come from livestock. Daily live weight gain is important because the shorter the time the cattle are on the farm the less carbon is produced.

- Monitor and improve animal health. Close monitoring of animal health not only safeguards the welfare of the herd, it also reduces weanling mortality and leads to increased farm productivity to offset the carbon emissions of the enterprise.

- Maximise home grown forage. Direct emissions from feed production represents a high proportion of farm carbon emissions. By using home grown forage the Walsh Farm has the opportunity to increase their feed conversion efficiency.Action: PW&DW / By When: December 2016

12. Improve biodiversity on the farm by building on the REPS V agri-environment

scheme by joining the new GLAS scheme. A government approved

afforestation scheme should be considered separate to GLAS for the land

parcel at Timahoe East comprising 2.17 hectares of peatland bog

(blanket/bare peat) which is presently not in use. This land could provide an

additional yearly income while supporting a wide range of flora and fauna.

Additional measures to be considered is the planting of a hedgerow with

blackthorn or whitethorn along with native deciduous trees in field lot

I13205037 (No. 1 - Ref Appendix A) where there was formerly a hedgerow.

This would effectively split the large field in two. Tussock grasses e.g.

cocksfoot, creeping red fescue and timothy should be planted at the base of

the saplings. This area would provide a wind break to livestock and would

provide an additional fenced field to assist with rotational grazing. It would

provide an excellent wildlife habitat for ground nesting birds e.g. Grey

Partridge & Yellowhammer and certain mammal species e.g. Irish Hare.

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Other measures that could be implemented as part of GLAS are as follows:

- Introduction of rare breeds e.g. Irish Moiles (€200 per LU). Crossgar Meats

offer a grade plus €0.20/kg bonus with an additional €16 per head bonus

for animals under 30 months for Irish Moiled beef.

- Bat boxes (€13 per unit/year)

- Bee conservation (€6 per box/ sand pile €45 per unit/year)

- Low-input permanent pasture (€314 per ha/year)

- Planting new hedgerows (€5 per metre/year)

- Planting a grove of native trees along the road hedgerow on field

I132050019 (€0.90 per unit/year)

- Training in environmental conservation practices and standards

These actions aim to enhance climate change, water quality and biodiversity

thus creating a sustainable future for both wildlife and livestock on the Walsh

Farm. Action: PW&MW / By When: March 2017

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5. Bibliography & References

1. Beef Quality Assurance Scheme, Bord Bia (2004)

2. Bell, Stuart, McGillivray, Donald & Pedersen, Ole, Environmental Law (2013), OUP

Oxford Publishing, Eight Edition

3. Bloomsbury Publishing, Dictionary of Agriculture, 3rd Edition (2012)

4. Crop Protection 2016, Irish Farmers Journal Supplement, (2016)

5. Dashmann, Raymond F. M.A., Ph.D., Environmental Conservation (1968), John

Wiley & Sons Inc., 2nd Edition

6. Farm the Environment, Farm Waste Management Booklet, Monaghan County

Council Environmental Services, Local Authority Waste Prevention Programme

(LAPD)

7. Farm Safety Code of Practice, Risk Assessment, Health & Safety Authority (2006)

8. Farmers Handbook, The ACA 2016, Agricultural Advisory Alliance Ltd, O Sullivan,

Martin (2015)

9. Farm Wildlife Handbook, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Information Press,

(2007)

10. Morris, Peter, Therivel, Riki, Methods of Environmental Impact Assessment,

Routledge, 3rd Edition (2009)

11. Park, Chris, The Environment, Principles & Applications, (2001), Routledge, Second

Edition

12. Protecting our Water, Soil and Air, A Code of Good Agricultural Practice for Farmers,

Growers & Land Managers, DEFRA, TSO Publications (2009)

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13. Pye-Smith, Charlie, The Facts of Rural Life, Veterinary Association for Wildlife

Management, BPG Media (2015)

14. Rackham, Dr Oliver, History of the Countryside (2000), W&N, Second Edition

15. Ramharacksingh, Ronald, Agricultural Science, MacMillan (2011)

16. Rural Environment Protection Scheme (REPS), Farmers Handbook 4, The

Department of Fisheries & Food 2013

17. Soffe, Richard J., The Agricultural Notebook (1995), Wiley-Blackwell, Second Edition

18. Sutherland, W.J. & Hill, David A., Managing Habitats for Conservation (1995),

Cambridge University Press

19. Wilson, E.O., Biodiversity (1988), John Wiley & Sons Inc.,

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