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Tillage
Minister Creed welcomes decision by IFA to call off tillage protest
The IFA has ended its protest in the lobby of the Department of Agriculture offices on Kildare St.
Gardaí on the scene as angry farmers occupy Department of Agriculture
Angry tillage farmers are occupying the the Department of Agriculture in Kildare St this evening over details of a Tillage Crisis fund which they...
Why rogue seeds are a growing problem for tillage farmers
At this time of the year we are not only planning for harvest, but thinking about next year's crop.
'Crop resistance and reduced availability of products reduces tillage yields'
Irish tillage farmers are facing difficulties in achieving high yields, necessary for profitability, due to the reduced availability of products and...
Grain prices harden as drought fears increase
GRAIN prices have hardened in the wake of lower reported winter wheat plantings in the US and fears drought conditions will hit spring wheat yields.
Comment: We need a fresh debate on how we can become a real 'food island'
My youngest son is an avid reader and is currently pursuing the well-worn path of reading the cereal boxes every morning, probably more as a delay...
Fears that Theresa May's ‘running through fields of wheat’ may inspire mass copycat trespassing
When ITV News asked Theresa May what the naughtiest thing she ever did as a child was, she responded that she used to "run through fields...
Tillage advice: Few signs of disease but ground conditions are already messy
Rain in mid May was very welcome for our late spring sown crops but enough is enough.
Parliament to debate glyphosate licensing
MEPs are today debating the merits of reauthorising weedkiller glyphosate for use in the EU, a move that is set to further politicise the ongoing row over the chemical.
Tillage heartlands under threat from rent hikes and dairy
Tightening margins could push tillage growers out of traditional heartlands where they are being forced to pay above the odds to lease ground, it has been warned.
Agri MEPs vote against pesticide ban on EFA's
Environmental groups have hit out at attempts to allow pesticide use on land set aside for nature conservation under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
Tillage advice: Yield potential is back in optimum territory thanks to recent rainfall
What a difference the rain makes? While we all feel we get too much rain, crops suffer most when rainfall in low. This spring has been a case in...
Tillage farmers faced with key spraying decisions after dry spell
Sometimes in farming, you can be so busy with the head down that you forget to look up. I felt like I was rejuvenated, after myself and Jim O'Mahony spent a day judging the Zurich Farm Insurance...
'Farmers who don’t bargain paying €30/t more for fertiliser'
Fertiliser traders have been called on to immediately pass through the significant drop in wholesale fertiliser prices to farmers, by IFA Inputs Project Team Leader John Coughlan.
Weather gods have smiled on winter cereals but spring crops have had a torrid time
It looks like the weather gods have been consulting 'the ideal weather patterns for winter cereal production' since the crops have been put in the...
Low level of reseeding is an issue that must be addressed
Reseeding levels in Ireland are low ranging from 250,000 acres to 320,000 acres annually; in general approximately 2pc of our annual grassland area is reseeded.
Tillage advice: Recent rain was critical for crops
Last weekend's rain brought much needed moisture to spring crops. Emergence is uneven with drier areas in fields having poor ground cover and moisture retentive areas reasonably well...
The world's land area covered by GM crops is up 110-fold since 1996
The amount of GM crops being grown worldwide has increased 110-fold in the past 20 years, new figures show.
Farmers warned to shop around for fertiliser due to 'artificially high prices'
Farmers have been warned to shop around before purchasing fertiliser as wholesale CAN prices have fallen by over €30/t in recent weeks, according...
IFA: We won't refund 'compulsory' levy to tillage farmers
The IFA has confirmed that it will not pay back any levies paid by malting barley farmers through a compulsory levy collection system it has in operation with Boortmalt
Tillage advice: Spring crops are under severe stress
The harsh, cold dry weather up to the end of April restricted crop growth and development and while winter crops had been well advanced at the time this weather has brought crops back to their...
Malting barley growers advised to reject Boortmalt offer
The Irish Grain Growers Group is calling on all malting barley growers to reject an offer from Boortmalt for their grain.
Disease outbreak piles pressure on tillage farmers
A significant outbreak of disease and poor prices are piling pressure on thousands of tillage farmers struggling to break even.
Local council votes to ban controversial weed killer
South Dublin County Council has voted to ban the use of glyphosate, as negotiations continue at European level over the future of the controversial weed killer in farming.
Silage season gets under way as dry spell set to continue to the middle of the month 'at least'
The silage season has got under way in many parts of the country as farmers take advantage of the dry spell which is set to continue for some time.
We still have enough chemical weaponry to control septoria
We are approaching a critical point in the year for all crops, whether winter sown, spring sown or the biggest crop of all in an Irish context, grass. Growth rates achieved in April and May can...
Controversial weedkiller could be authorised for a further 15 years this week
The European Commission is set to debate the re-authorisation of the world’s most commonly used herbicide, glyphosate the key ingredient in...
Timing is everything with fungicides
Your cereal disease control programme commenced with your variety selection.
I have tried, but I just can’t grow my grá for gardening
I am not a gardener. I’d love to be one but I’m afraid it’s a skill that has either passed me by or never encountered me.
Boortmalt and IFA strike two-year deal
A two-year malting barley deal between Boortmalt and IFA for the 2017 and 2018 harvests allows growers sell up to 15pc of this year's brewing barley crop at the fixed price offer of €164/t.
Cut costs by going back to basics on soil fertility
Farming has become a very technical profession, and it is very easy for farmers to be blinded by science and often miss the basic principles.
Drill fertiliser and seed combination the best option in low fertility soils
The good weather and soil conditions towards the end of March allowed some field work to proceed, particularly the sowing of spring wheat, beans and some barley.
New wheat strain could boost poultry profits
A new strain of wheat could reduce the need for feed supplements, while at the same time provide key nutrients that promote healthy bones in poultry.
'Brexit is probably easier to figure out': Tillage farmers view of new TAMS scheme
We went to a meeting regarding TAMS and I think the Brexit negotiations will be easier to understand.
Why a cold snap is good news for some crops
Since the autumn sowing season commenced, every conversation on the weather (and there have been many) has ended with 'it can't last', but by and large this proclamation has been wrong, up to...
'It's something I regret': Farmer on leaving school early to take over family farm
My father always planned for me to work on the family farm growing vegetables.
'I am getting the same prices as I was 25 years ago' - Tillage farmer on switch to solar
A planned 50-acre solar electricity facility at his Coolcarrigan tillage enterprise in Co Kildare is Robert Wilson Wright's main pre- occupation...
The first hurdle has been cleared for EU to renew Roundup licence
Last week's decision by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) that glyphosate should not be classified as a carcinogen is a major relief for farmers.
'Bord Bia must prioritise Irish grains'
Farmers must prioritise native grain "over and above" imported alternatives in order to salvage the tillage sector, it has been claimed.
'Pot still boiling' on fertiliser duties - Creed
Ireland is still seeking feedback from the European Commission on whether it will cancel long-standing anti-dumping duties on certain fertiliser imports.
Why a move back to bean harvesting could save tillage sector from collapse
A move back to bean harvesting could save the tillage sector from looming collapse, an agri expert has said.
March of the many weathers is living up to its reputation
With less than half the month gone it is already living up to its reputation as "March of many weathers". Already this month we have had some lovely spring days preceded and followed by...
Is the sun setting on our tillage sector?
Crop diversification is "urgently needed" to prevent the predicted demise of the country's tillage sector, agri experts have warned.
TAMS fine detail poses issues for tillage farmers
Strong farmer interest has been reported in the new TAMS II tillage measures, but some in the sector claim access to finance and the high cost of the actions listed could limit uptake.
MEPs seek clawback on new fertiliser regime
A group of MEPs are seeking to soften draft fertiliser rules they say will harm EU producers and contravene international trade law.
Winter barley is looking good despite our 'rocket fuel' gambit
Although the snow drops have made an appearance, the daffodils are very slow to show themselves. I can't blame them with all the cold wintry weather. The crops are showing the...
Department opens €26m TAMS II tillage grant scheme (See list of eligible investments)
The Department of Agriculture has opened its much anticipated farm investment scheme for tillage farmers.
How these Dublin brothers built up a massive 3,000ac farm from scratch
Peter Whyte started "without a sod of land", as his son Jimmy puts it. "Look around you - he bought every acre of it," says Jimmy of the sprawling North County Dublin farm today before pausing...
Wheat will not be a viable crop in Ireland by 2022, warn tillage experts
Wheat production will be "totally uneconomical" in Ireland by 2022 unless drastic measures are taken to develop new crop varieties that are more resistant to disease, tillage experts have warned.
'Tillage farmers' future compromised by EU double standards on imports'
Over the past few months, I have highlighted the difficulties European farmers face when competing with produce produced in other countries where there is less regulation and where yields are...
Approvals process for pesticides faces shake-up
The EU’s labyrinthine approval process for pesticides, genetically modified foods and other chemicals is under review.
