Grasscheck expands coverage for 2018

Grass Growth and quality data from 50 sites spread across Northern Ireland will feed into the AgriSearch and AFBI led GrassCheck programme in 2018.
By The Newsroom
Published 1st Apr 2018, 09:08 BST
Updated 1st Apr 2018, 09:10 BST
GrassCheck Pilot Farmers and AgriSearch and AFBI staff involved in the project.GrassCheck Pilot Farmers and AgriSearch and AFBI staff involved in the project.
GrassCheck Pilot Farmers and AgriSearch and AFBI staff involved in the project.

Following on from a successful recruitment drive there will now be 20 dairy farmers, 23 beef farmers, 5 sheep farmers involved in the project as well as the long-standing plots at Hillsborough and Greenmount.

AgriSearch General Manager Jason Rankin said “GrassCheck is AgriSearch’s flagship project. We received very positive feedback from farmers on the new on-farm element of the project which was rolled out in 2017. This represents a real partnership between the farmers, AgriSearch and AFBI. GrassCheck is now recognised nationally and internationally as an exemplar of on-farm research, innovation and knowledge exchange.

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“We have secured additional funding though DAERA’s Research Challenge Fund to further expand the project and investigate the role of novel precision technologies. The additional farmers recruited will further improve our coverage of different environments and farming systems. This will enable GrassCheck to deliver real time and relevant information to assist all types of grassland farmers to make better use of their most valuable resource.”

The GrassCheck bulletin will appear in the local farming press. More detailed information can be viewed on the GrassCheck website www.agrisearch.org/grasscheck and through the GrassCheck social media accounts.

GrassCheck is supported by DAERA, CIEL and CAFRE.

Related topics:AgriSearchNorthern IrelandDAERA