A PROJECT to look at the role of badgers in the spread of bovine TB by a UCD researcher and an investigation into Investigating the feasibility of oilseed processing in Ireland by UCC Professor Thia Hennessy from Blarney are among 21 projects granted €4m in research funding by the Department of Agriculture.
Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with special responsibility for research, Martin Heydon, announced the €4m funding for the policy-focused research projects arise from the Department’s 2024 Policy and Strategic Studies Research Call.
‘There is a wide breath of policy areas covered by the successful projects,’ said Minister Heydon.
‘This includes three projects related to TB which will examine biosecurity measures and communication, modelling for badger population dynamics, and the association between herd bovine TB breakdown and herd nutritional, metabolic and immune status.
‘I am also pleased to be able to award funding to two projects which directly address recommendations of the Food Vision Tillage Group: investigating the feasibility of oilseed crops processing in Ireland, and a feasibility assessment of organic feed milling.’
Last month, Derry Scannell, the IFA animal health chair for West Cork, described the TB situation as ‘unreal’, with West Cork experiencing its highest ever levels bovine TB, with close to 5,000 ‘reactors’ recorded in the area.
UCD assistant professor in wildlife biology Simone Ciuti will research a project studying badger movement and interaction rate with both co-specifics and cattle to unravel their role in the spread of bovine tuberculosis across Irish ecosystems.
Separately, Niamh Field from Teagasc will look at the association between herd bovine tuberculosis breakdown and herd nutritional, metabolic, and immune status.
Another Teagasc researcher, Aine Regan, will look into optimising biosecurity risk communication pathways for bovine tuberculosis.
Prof Thia Hennessy’s research will investigate the Feasibility of Oilseed Processing in Ireland (Oilpro).
Oilseed processing is practised in other agricultural settings including the US, which can lead to products for other uses including feed and fuel.
Prof Hennessy is the head of College of Business and Law and a professor of agri-food economics.
Projects relating to a national soil strategy and monitoring programme, and attitudes and behaviours towards climate change mitigation are also among those awarded funding under the 2024 call.
Projects can be up to 12 or 24 months in duration, with funding of up to €100,000 or €250,000, respectively.
‘My Department is committed to funding high quality, public-good research that addresses knowledge gaps and develops the evidence for public policy, strategy and regulation,’ said Minister Heydon.
‘These 21 projects will make an important contribution to this and I look forward to their findings and outputs over the coming two years.’
