GrassWise Launches Europe-Wide Grassland Data Project
The four-year, €8 million Horizon Europe initiative held its kick-off meeting at Teagasc Moorepark in County Cork, Ireland.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Organic Food
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Should Ireland invest more public money in sustainable grassland farming research?
The GrassWise project held its kick-off meeting at Teagasc Moorepark in Fermoy, County Cork, and was formally launched by MEP Billy Kelleher. The €8 million Horizon Europe grassland project will run for four years across 13 European countries and New Zealand.
Why it matters
Grasslands cover 34% of the EU's agricultural area, making them central to European farming and land management. GrassWise aims to generate shared grassland data across the continent's nine pedoclimatic zones to support better decision-making.
The project is funded at €8 million under Horizon Europe and runs for four years with 135 Partner Farms across 9 pedoclimatic zones. Its outcomes remain unknown, as measurement and benchmarking are only beginning.
The players
Teagasc
Teagasc is Ireland's national agriculture and food development authority, which hosts the Moorepark research facility and coordinates the GrassWise project.
Billy Kelleher
Billy Kelleher is an Irish politician and Member of the European Parliament who was recently re-elected 1st Vice President of Renew Europe.
Professor Michael O'Donovan
Professor Michael O'Donovan is Head of the Teagasc Grassland Science Research Department and serves as coordinator of the GrassWise project.
The details
Coordinated by Professor Michael O'Donovan of Teagasc's Grassland Science Research Department, the project will develop an integrated European grassland data platform and decision-support tools co-created through a Multi-Actor Approach. Work Package Leader Dr Deirdre Hennessy of University College Cork is leading part of the research, and the project builds on the Grazing4AgroEcology initiative and the European Grassland Federation.
Timeline
November 3, 2026: GrassWise kick-off meeting held at Moorepark, Fermoy, County Cork.
Organic Food Context
GrassWise builds on the Grazing4AgroEcology initiative and the European Grassland Federation, extending grassland research toward a continent-wide data platform. Its work on grassland management connects to the agroecological farming practices that shape organic food production across Europe.
Farmers participating in the 135 Partner Farms and the nine Communities of Practice will be directly involved in grassland data collection and tool development. Consumers of European dairy and meat products may eventually see the effects of improved grassland management, though the project's timeline for practical outcomes is four years.
The takeaway
Shared, long-term grassland data could help European farmers make better management decisions across varied climates. Readers interested in sustainable food production can follow how these findings develop over the coming years.
Further reading
For more on sustainable farming methods, explore our Organic Food coverage.
More information
Learn about the project's objectives and partners on the GrassWise project website.
Live Poll
Should Ireland invest more public money in sustainable grassland farming research?
