Farmers cut costs by growing their 'greens'
RAINWATER storage tanks, bulk deliveries and energy efficient lighting may help trim farmers' costs by thousands of euro in an eco-friendly fashion.
Farmers will be able to benchmark themselves against some of the best energy savers in the industry through checklists in a new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) publication. A simple change by one 123-acre dairy farmer from using plastic bag feed meal to bulk delivery saved €1,800 a year, and cut plastic bag use by almost a quarter of a tonne. And a pig farmer, featured in the 'Farming the Environment' booklet, is installing rainwater storage tanks, which will save him €37,000 a year.
According to Gerry Byrne of the EPA, some "small innovations" in farm practice can lead to real savings in cost and environmental performance.
"As the financial climate for the agri-business looks more challenging, farmers can use the tips in this booklet to ensure that they are getting the best value for money spent on farm inputs, water and energy," he said. Over 40pc of farmers surveyed by Monaghan County Council had developed new environmental friendly practices to reduce costs.
- Louise Hogan
