James Breslin

NOMINATION DESCRIPTION
Mr Breslin has made his farm available as the demonstration farm for the Inishowen Uplands European Innovation Programme. On this farm the following 5 measures will be implemented during 2020: 1. Hill cattle on the uplands – this will increase the farm's grazing platform on privately owned and commonage areas of hill land). 2. Agroforestry producing a news crop which fits in well with carbon sequestration etc., extending the grazing season by producing a micro climate, extend growing season, providing more shelter, capturing nutrients, allowing growing of more grass on the shoulders of the land, strategic planting for calving, lambing (help to do away with housing). There is a tree for everywhere and every soil type. 3.Diverse sward seeding – Nitrogen fertiliser reduction, extending grazing season, utilising the full soil. Return to famer in production deliveries for the farmer and the environment. No set back in growth over during different seasons. (Later this will be easy to roll out on a larger scale. We would hope that progressive farmers would take this up and if they get paid for it would be considered a bonus. 4. Red Clover natural silage production. 5.Ponds: There are no ponds in Inishowen, this will help ticking the bio diversity box coupled with a flood mitigation element on a catchment basis.
Nominator: Henry O'Donnell, Project Manager, Inishowen Uplands European Innovation Programme.