Patrick Casement
Patrick Casement is Deputy Chairman and Company Secretary of ARCZero.
Northern Ireland
The family farms in ARCZero cover a range of enterprises (dairy, suckler cows, beef finishing, sheep and cereals), soil and climatic conditions. Their aim is to accelerate the journey to Net Zero and improved soil health by precise and accurate measurements of soils and landscape features. They are introducing measures to reduce emissions and increase carbon sequestration, thereby building economic, environmental, and social resilience. A key objective is to share the knowledge they are gaining to farmers - both locally and internationally. They accomplish this through farm walks, workshops, and by providing information on their website. They are supported by funding through the European Innovation Programme and the Co-op Carbon Innovation Fund.
Brook Hall Estate (John Gilliland) 67 ha . 34 ha in short rotation coppice willow, 11ha in permanent grass, grazed by beef cattle, and 17 ha in silvo pasture and woodland. The farm is experimenting with grazing cattle in willow coppice to reduce methane emissions.
Springmount Farm (Roger and Hilary Bell) . 78ha. 500 lowland and upland ewes and 70 beef cattle. Rotational grazing system. Involved in a range of research projects including Grasscheck and Technology Innovation Farm programmes. Introducing multi-species and clover-rich swards.
Acton House Farm (Simon Best). 485ha. predominantly arable land, as well as an Aberdeen Angus herd and a green waste composting facility. Simon and his family have been involved in agri-environment schemes for over 20-years, increasing hedgerows, planting trees, managing soil health and water quality on the farm.
Magherintemple Farm (Patrick Casement) 87ha. 90 Salers and Aberdeen Angus cross, Suckler cows; and Blackface sheep crossed to Blue Leicester rams. 20ha of woodland, wildlife corridors, multi-species swards and clover.
Lisnavoe Farm (John Egerton). 74ha. 90 Simmental, Limousin and Saler suckler cows on an autumn-spring calving system, with all progeny either finished through to beef or reared as replacement heifers. A flock of 200 ewes and a Blade calf-rearing unit of 500 calves in partnership with ABP.
Ballydevitt Farm (Hugh Harbison) 120ha. 180 dairy cows (NewZealand and British Friesian) and operate a compact autumn calving system across 100-hectares. Hugh is also involved in the Grass Check programme and has seen milk yields from forage increase by 500L per cow by analysing and monitoring grass growth. Introducing multi-species and clover-rich swards, reducing cow size, heating water with wood fuel produced on farm.
Creevy House Farm (Ian McClelland) 52ha. Milking 90Holstein-Friesian cows on a grass-based high yielding autumn calving system. In 2015, Ian converted what was previously a beef and youngstock farm into the successful dairy enterprise that it is today. Ian pays close attention to grass utilisation and management, monitoring grass growth and as part of the GrassCheck programme by AFBI and AgriSearch.
Crossnamuckley Farm (Jason Rankin). 112ha. Milking 195 Holstein-Friesian cows with 52 heifers. Cows calve over 10.5weeks, 7,250 litres/cow. Growing multi-species and red clover/ryegrass swards.
John Gilliland is the chairman of ARCZero.
Patrick Casement is Deputy Chairman and Company Secretary of ARCZero.
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