Teagasc hosted a Malting barley webinar on Tuesday 23rd of February which covered many areas such as liquid nitrogen, cover crops, ramularia and the activities as part of the Teagasc Boortmalt joint programme.  The questions and answers section was particularly interesting as there were some really interesting angles covered and its worth listening to these again on this week’s Tillage Edge podcast. The expert panel included Deirdre Doyle, Eoin Lyons, Stephen Kildea, Ciaran Hickey and Richie Hackett, all from Teagasc as well as Tom Bryan from Boortmalt.  The questions revolved around the topics on the webinar but also included questions about malting barley contracts, components of yield in barley, general barley disease control and more.  If you would like to see a video of the entire webinar go to the Teagasc Crops YouTube page here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6vM546rTu8 For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to:https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/Plus, don’t forget to register for the next in the monthly series of Teagasc agronomy webinars taking place from 1130-1230pm next Tues 2nd March.You can register for the event at:https://www.teagasc.ie/news--events/national-events/events/wintercropagronomywebinar.php

Teagasc hosted a Malting barley webinar on Tuesday 23rd of February which covered many areas such as liquid nitrogen, cover crops, ramularia and the activities as part of the Teagasc Boortmalt joint programme. The questions and answers section was particularly interesting as there were some really interesting angles covered and its worth listening to these again on this week’s Tillage Edge podcast. The expert panel included Deirdre Doyle, Eoin Lyons, Stephen Kildea, Ciaran Hickey and Richie Hackett, all from Teagasc as well as Tom Bryan from Boortmalt. The questions revolved around the topics on the webinar but also included questions about malting barley contracts, components of yield in barley, general barley disease control and more. If you would like to see a video of the entire webinar go to the Teagasc Crops YouTube page here: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6vM546rTu8" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6vM546rTu8</a> For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to: <a href="https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/</a> Plus, don’t forget to register for the next in the monthly series of Teagasc agronomy webinars taking place from 1130-1230pm next Tues 2nd March. You can register for the event at: <a href="https://www.teagasc.ie/news--events/national-events/events/wintercropagronomywebinar.php" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.teagasc.ie/news--events/national-events/events/wintercropagronomywebinar.php</a>

Malting Barley Conference 2021 – the Q&A panel session

Teagasc hosted a Winter Crops Agronomy update webinar on Tuesday 9th February which covered the management needs of winter barley, winter wheat and oilseed rape for the coming few weeks.  This week’s Tillage Edge podcast features the questions and answer session from that webinar between attendees and Teagasc experts.The first section covered winter barley agronomy and Ciaran Collins, Tillage Specialist in Teagasc posed the questions to the panel of Shay Phelan, Michael McCarthy, Richie Hackett and Jimmy Staples with questions around management of conventional and hybrid barleys and nutrition in all crops.  The next part moved on to how managing winter oilseed rape for the coming weeks will centre on assessing the Green Area index in crops and adjusting nitrogen rates to achieve optimum canopies at flowering.  Finally grass weed and control of sterile brome was debated by the expert panel.For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to:https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/Plus, don’t forget to register for the next Teagasc crops webinar on malting barley which is being held on Tuesday 23rd February from 1130-1230pm.You can register for the event at:https://www.teagasc.ie/news--events/daily/crops/title-95646-en.php

Teagasc hosted a Winter Crops Agronomy update webinar on Tuesday 9th February which covered the management needs of winter barley, winter wheat and oilseed rape for the coming few weeks. This week’s Tillage Edge podcast features the questions and answer session from that webinar between attendees and Teagasc experts. The first section covered winter barley agronomy and Ciaran Collins, Tillage Specialist in Teagasc posed the questions to the panel of Shay Phelan, Michael McCarthy, Richie Hackett and Jimmy Staples with questions around management of conventional and hybrid barleys and nutrition in all crops. The next part moved on to how managing winter oilseed rape for the coming weeks will centre on assessing the Green Area index in crops and adjusting nitrogen rates to achieve optimum canopies at flowering. Finally grass weed and control of sterile brome was debated by the expert panel. For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to: <a href="https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/</a> Plus, don’t forget to register for the next Teagasc crops webinar on malting barley which is being held on Tuesday 23rd February from 1130-1230pm. You can register for the event at: <a href="https://www.teagasc.ie/news--events/daily/crops/title-95646-en.php" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.teagasc.ie/news--events/daily/crops/title-95646-en.php</a>

Winter Crop agronomy – a Q&A session with Teagasc experts

Andy Mahon, from Dublin, is a farm manager on the Bromborough Estate Farm in North Bedfordshire, which is roughly halfway between London and Birmingham and firmly in the heart of arable country and he joins Michael Hennessy on this week's Tillage Edge podcast.Andy has worked hard on the costs of production on the farm and is the only full time employee managing close to 750 hectares of land.  Andy has full-time help for about 8 months of the year and also some help with seasonal labour at drilling and harvest. The long term farm rainfall for the farm is around 550mm per year (Carlow is 850mm per year) and the average yields (dry) on the farm are as follows;  winter wheat 9.5t/ha, spring wheat 6.5t/ha, spring beans 4-4.5 t/ha.  In the past 8 years the Bromborough Estate transitioned from plough based establishment system to min-till, then to strip till and are now full converted to a zero or no-till establishment system.  The switch has helped enormously in labour efficiency, however Andy said it has taken a huge amount of effort and learning to get to what he regards as a sustainable system now.  The integration of cover crops, spring cropping and improved control of grass weeds have been a particular focus of the transition.And don’t forget to join us for Day 2 of the virtual 2021 National Conference on Feb 17th.Register in advance at:https://www.teagasc.ie/tillagemonth/For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to:https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/Image credit: FWI.co.uk

Andy Mahon, from Dublin, is a farm manager on the Bromborough Estate Farm in North Bedfordshire, which is roughly halfway between London and Birmingham and firmly in the heart of arable country and he joins Michael Hennessy on this week's Tillage Edge podcast. Andy has worked hard on the costs of production on the farm and is the only full time employee managing close to 750 hectares of land. Andy has full-time help for about 8 months of the year and also some help with seasonal labour at drilling and harvest. The long term farm rainfall for the farm is around 550mm per year (Carlow is 850mm per year) and the average yields (dry) on the farm are as follows; winter wheat 9.5t/ha, spring wheat 6.5t/ha, spring beans 4-4.5 t/ha. In the past 8 years the Bromborough Estate transitioned from plough based establishment system to min-till, then to strip till and are now full converted to a zero or no-till establishment system. The switch has helped enormously in labour efficiency, however Andy said it has taken a huge amount of effort and learning to get to what he regards as a sustainable system now. The integration of cover crops, spring cropping and improved control of grass weeds have been a particular focus of the transition. And don’t forget to join us for Day 2 of the virtual 2021 National Conference on Feb 17th. Register in advance at: <a href="https://www.teagasc.ie/tillagemonth/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.teagasc.ie/tillagemonth/</a> For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to: <a href="https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/</a> Image credit: <a href="http://FWI.co.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">FWI.co.uk</a>

The Dublin man farming 750ha in the UK

The effects of Brexit on Irish tillage farmers is the topic on this week's Tillage Edge podcast with economists, farmers and machinery suppliers all featuring from the recent Spring Tillage Webinar.Tillage farmers were always likely to be the least affected whether there was a Brexit agreement or not according to Fiona Thorne, an economist in Teagasc.  However, areas such as goods stuck in the supply chain and registrations of plant protection products may be affected and this could become apparent in the coming months. Despite the difficulties with imports of seed potatoes, Charlie Doherty, a Donegal potato farmer, believes it could open a door for Irish producers to produce more seed and is an area that Ireland should exploit.  Importing tractors will be more difficult but not impossible according to Brian Lacy from Paddy Lacy tractors in Ferns.  Brain said there will be some import delays and it may add 2-4 weeks to imports however he is still waiting on some direction from Revenue to judge this properly.For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to:https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/And don’t forget to join us for Day 2 of the virtual 2021 National Conference on Feb 17th.Register in advance at:https://www.teagasc.ie/tillagemonth/

The effects of Brexit on Irish tillage farmers is the topic on this week's Tillage Edge podcast with economists, farmers and machinery suppliers all featuring from the recent Spring Tillage Webinar. Tillage farmers were always likely to be the least affected whether there was a Brexit agreement or not according to Fiona Thorne, an economist in Teagasc. However, areas such as goods stuck in the supply chain and registrations of plant protection products may be affected and this could become apparent in the coming months. Despite the difficulties with imports of seed potatoes, Charlie Doherty, a Donegal potato farmer, believes it could open a door for Irish producers to produce more seed and is an area that Ireland should exploit. Importing tractors will be more difficult but not impossible according to Brian Lacy from Paddy Lacy tractors in Ferns. Brain said there will be some import delays and it may add 2-4 weeks to imports however he is still waiting on some direction from Revenue to judge this properly. For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to: <a href="https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/</a> And don’t forget to join us for Day 2 of the virtual 2021 National Conference on Feb 17th. Register in advance at: <a href="https://www.teagasc.ie/tillagemonth/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.teagasc.ie/tillagemonth/</a>

Brexit effects for tillage farmers

Scotland has a similar climate to ours and the research carried out there is more comparable to Irish farms than work from continental US or Europe and on this week’s Tillage Edge podcast, Dr Cathy Hawes, from the James Hutton Institute near Dundee in Scotland joins Michael Hennessy to discuss the Scottish experience of maximising rotations.She explains that in the region she works in, they have similar rainfall totals to Carlow but average yields of wheat and barley are a little lower than Irish yields. Cathy is an ecologist working on a large scale trial looking at a broad suite of system outcomes from the trial.  These parameters include economic, yield mapping, crop diseases, soil quality, carbon storage, biodiversity, infield weeds, etc.  Within the trial, different establishment systems, including the direct drill system, is looked at under a six year rotation (which includes potatoes). This long term trial has produced some interesting results already.  Cathy points to the benefits of increasing soil carbon which has increased nutrient efficiency and also results in a better performing soil to suppress harmful soil pathogens. Cathy believes the results of the work can be very useful to farmers, especially where strategies can be combined to give benefits both economically and to the wider environment.For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to:https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/And don’t forget to join us for the virtual 2021 National Conference split over two days on Feb 3rd and Feb 17th.Register in advance at:https://www.teagasc.ie/news--events/national-events/events/2021tillageconday1.php

Scotland has a similar climate to ours and the research carried out there is more comparable to Irish farms than work from continental US or Europe and on this week’s Tillage Edge podcast, Dr Cathy Hawes, from the James Hutton Institute near Dundee in Scotland joins Michael Hennessy to discuss the Scottish experience of maximising rotations. She explains that in the region she works in, they have similar rainfall totals to Carlow but average yields of wheat and barley are a little lower than Irish yields. Cathy is an ecologist working on a large scale trial looking at a broad suite of system outcomes from the trial. These parameters include economic, yield mapping, crop diseases, soil quality, carbon storage, biodiversity, infield weeds, etc. Within the trial, different establishment systems, including the direct drill system, is looked at under a six year rotation (which includes potatoes). This long term trial has produced some interesting results already. Cathy points to the benefits of increasing soil carbon which has increased nutrient efficiency and also results in a better performing soil to suppress harmful soil pathogens. Cathy believes the results of the work can be very useful to farmers, especially where strategies can be combined to give benefits both economically and to the wider environment. For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to: <a href="https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/</a> And don’t forget to join us for the virtual 2021 National Conference split over two days on Feb 3rd and Feb 17th. Register in advance at: <a href="https://www.teagasc.ie/news--events/national-events/events/2021tillageconday1.php" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.teagasc.ie/news--events/national-events/events/2021tillageconday1.php</a>

Maximising rotations – the Scottish experience

Organic manures can supply a badly needed source of carbon to tillage soils according to Mark Plunkett, a Soils and Plant Nutrition Specialist in Teagasc on the latest Tillage Edge podcast.  Mark told Michael Hennessy that a typical dressing of 20 tonnes per hectare of farm yard manure will supply 300 kg/ha of carbon to the soil.  As slurries contain more water their carbon contribution is much lower.Mark stressed the biological benefits of organic manures to revitalise soils by improving nutrient cycling and feeding the flora and fauna such as fungus, bacteria, nematodes and earthworms.  Where all of these components are functioning correctly, crops tend to be more resilient during periods of stress (wet weather or drought) and can give higher yields. Organic manures can replace up to 50% of the chemical fertiliser applied to spring crops and are a direct replacement to the chemical fertiliser in most cases.  Mark maintained that most slurries can be transported up to 15 kilometres but recommends discussing this with the slurry producer to source the most efficient transport type.For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to:https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/And don’t forget to join us for the virtual 2021 National Conference split over two days on Feb 3rd and Feb 17th.Register in advance at:https://www.teagasc.ie/news--events/national-events/events/2021tillageconday1.php

Organic manures can supply a badly needed source of carbon to tillage soils according to Mark Plunkett, a Soils and Plant Nutrition Specialist in Teagasc on the latest Tillage Edge podcast. Mark told Michael Hennessy that a typical dressing of 20 tonnes per hectare of farm yard manure will supply 300 kg/ha of carbon to the soil. As slurries contain more water their carbon contribution is much lower. Mark stressed the biological benefits of organic manures to revitalise soils by improving nutrient cycling and feeding the flora and fauna such as fungus, bacteria, nematodes and earthworms. Where all of these components are functioning correctly, crops tend to be more resilient during periods of stress (wet weather or drought) and can give higher yields. Organic manures can replace up to 50% of the chemical fertiliser applied to spring crops and are a direct replacement to the chemical fertiliser in most cases. Mark maintained that most slurries can be transported up to 15 kilometres but recommends discussing this with the slurry producer to source the most efficient transport type. For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to: <a href="https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/</a> And don’t forget to join us for the virtual 2021 National Conference split over two days on Feb 3rd and Feb 17th. Register in advance at: <a href="https://www.teagasc.ie/news--events/national-events/events/2021tillageconday1.php" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.teagasc.ie/news--events/national-events/events/2021tillageconday1.php</a>

The benefits of organic manures for tillage farmers?

Growing rye is becoming more of an option for farmers in recent years and on the latest episode of the Tillage Edge, Michael Hennessy speaks to Tipperary farmer, Gerard O’Mara, Teagasc tillage specialist, Ciaran Collins, and Teagasc adviser, Conor Kavanagh, to find out more.Gerard O’Mara, has been successfully growing rye for the past number of years and he has increased the acre of rye on his farm at the expense of winter wheat and spring barley area.  Gerard is quite happy with the crops performance on his farm but points out that harvesting is slower due to the high volume of straw.Ciaran Collins, a tillage specialist in Teagasc, points out that rye can be useful to extend rotations and potentially replace second wheats on the farm.  Ciaran maintains that despite the crop being referred to as a low input crop, rye does require a reasonable level of inputs.  He added the crop is high yielding therefore it requires a lower input per unit of output (compared to winter wheat). Ensuring there is a clear market for the rye grain is also very important according to Conor Kavanagh, Teagasc advisor in Tipperary (and Gerard’s advisor).  Conor added that rye grain is very flexible for feed in ruminants and very suitable for pig feed and there is a small market for distilling.  For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to:https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/

Growing rye is becoming more of an option for farmers in recent years and on the latest episode of the Tillage Edge, Michael Hennessy speaks to Tipperary farmer, Gerard O’Mara, Teagasc tillage specialist, Ciaran Collins, and Teagasc adviser, Conor Kavanagh, to find out more. Gerard O’Mara, has been successfully growing rye for the past number of years and he has increased the acre of rye on his farm at the expense of winter wheat and spring barley area. Gerard is quite happy with the crops performance on his farm but points out that harvesting is slower due to the high volume of straw. Ciaran Collins, a tillage specialist in Teagasc, points out that rye can be useful to extend rotations and potentially replace second wheats on the farm. Ciaran maintains that despite the crop being referred to as a low input crop, rye does require a reasonable level of inputs. He added the crop is high yielding therefore it requires a lower input per unit of output (compared to winter wheat). Ensuring there is a clear market for the rye grain is also very important according to Conor Kavanagh, Teagasc advisor in Tipperary (and Gerard’s advisor). Conor added that rye grain is very flexible for feed in ruminants and very suitable for pig feed and there is a small market for distilling. For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to: <a href="https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/</a>

Is growing rye an option for your farm?

On the final Tillage Edge podcast for the year, Michael Hennessy reviewed the 2020 growing season with Teagasc specialists Ciaran Collins and Shay Phelan.  Both Shay and Ciaran pointed to the highs of a great start this spring but the weather played its part in the lows with drought in the east and storms in the south contributing to lower yields. Despite the lower yields a good rotation and/or adding organic matter were factors which resulted in higher yields whether the crop was challenged with drought or not.  Ciaran maintain growers who are on top of these two areas get higher yields year after year.   Straw yields were also reduced this year and after a very slow start of sales but  sales picked up in the autumn.  Although a good level of straw is sold, but yet to be delivered, it will take until the spring to clear sheds.In 2020, policy makers have recognised tillage as an important part of Irish agriculture and as a low GHG producer compared to other systems.  There is a renewed desire to feed more Irish grain to livestock and grow more indigenous proteins which will help tillage farmers for the future.  However, challenges still exist with EU policy makers encouraging farmers to use lower levels of plant protection products and fertilisers. For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to:https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/

On the final Tillage Edge podcast for the year, Michael Hennessy reviewed the 2020 growing season with Teagasc specialists Ciaran Collins and Shay Phelan. Both Shay and Ciaran pointed to the highs of a great start this spring but the weather played its part in the lows with drought in the east and storms in the south contributing to lower yields. Despite the lower yields a good rotation and/or adding organic matter were factors which resulted in higher yields whether the crop was challenged with drought or not. Ciaran maintain growers who are on top of these two areas get higher yields year after year. Straw yields were also reduced this year and after a very slow start of sales but sales picked up in the autumn. Although a good level of straw is sold, but yet to be delivered, it will take until the spring to clear sheds. In 2020, policy makers have recognised tillage as an important part of Irish agriculture and as a low GHG producer compared to other systems. There is a renewed desire to feed more Irish grain to livestock and grow more indigenous proteins which will help tillage farmers for the future. However, challenges still exist with EU policy makers encouraging farmers to use lower levels of plant protection products and fertilisers. For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to: <a href="https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/</a>

A Review of the 2020 Growing Season

On the latest Tillage Edge podcast, Dr Ewen Mullins from Teagasc, Oak Park joined Michael Hennessy to discuss and explain the developments in plant breeding and biotechnology.  Ewen briefly mapped breeding developments over the last 150 years before describing the different types of Genetically Modified (GM) techniques in use today.The most used GM technique is transgenics which uses genes from one plant to transform another (these plants would not breed in the wild).  He used the example of Golden Rice which used daffodil genes in rice plants to improve vitamin A levels in rice to help deficient populations in Asia.Ewen described work being done in Teagasc which ranges from developing new GM techniques to growing GM crops but none of this work will result in crops for Irish farmers anytime soon.  However Ewen is more hopeful for gene editing or Crispr-Cas9 technologies which could be used in the medium term and when available this technique can quickly improve weaknesses in varieties already in use.   For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to:https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/

On the latest Tillage Edge podcast, Dr Ewen Mullins from Teagasc, Oak Park joined Michael Hennessy to discuss and explain the developments in plant breeding and biotechnology. Ewen briefly mapped breeding developments over the last 150 years before describing the different types of Genetically Modified (GM) techniques in use today. The most used GM technique is transgenics which uses genes from one plant to transform another (these plants would not breed in the wild). He used the example of Golden Rice which used daffodil genes in rice plants to improve vitamin A levels in rice to help deficient populations in Asia. Ewen described work being done in Teagasc which ranges from developing new GM techniques to growing GM crops but none of this work will result in crops for Irish farmers anytime soon. However Ewen is more hopeful for gene editing or Crispr-Cas9 technologies which could be used in the medium term and when available this technique can quickly improve weaknesses in varieties already in use. For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to: <a href="https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/</a>

Plant Breeding & Biotechnology

Dr Noel Richardson, Lecturer and Director of HealthCORE in IT Carlow, joined Michael Hennessy on the latest episode of the Tillage Edge podcast to speak about farmers’ health and research carried out for the ‘On Feirm Ground’ initiative. On the podcast, Noel pointed to the fact that farmers need to take better care of their most precious asset: their health.  The research with focus groups highlighted the major areas affecting farmer’s health which included; loneliness, feeling left behind, pressure to expand, inheritance issues and many other.  There is a perception that farmers can deal with these issues without help but this attitude appears to be changing slowly. Both male and female farmers and their spouses who were interviewed talked about how farming can be all consuming and feeling guilty about leaving the farm for other non-farming activities.  The researchers also talked to farm advisors and how they were well placed to recognise problems arising on farms.  The ‘On Feirm Ground’ initiative aims to train advisors in these skills which will help to recognise and broach these topics with farmers.Noel stressed that no matter what problem is on the farm the best method of solving the problem is to talk to someone. This could by a spouse, friend, neighbour or advisor.  The key is to start a conservation.  A problem shared is a problem halved.For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to:https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/

Dr Noel Richardson, Lecturer and Director of HealthCORE in IT Carlow, joined Michael Hennessy on the latest episode of the Tillage Edge podcast to speak about farmers’ health and research carried out for the ‘On Feirm Ground’ initiative. On the podcast, Noel pointed to the fact that farmers need to take better care of their most precious asset: their health. The research with focus groups highlighted the major areas affecting farmer’s health which included; loneliness, feeling left behind, pressure to expand, inheritance issues and many other. There is a perception that farmers can deal with these issues without help but this attitude appears to be changing slowly. Both male and female farmers and their spouses who were interviewed talked about how farming can be all consuming and feeling guilty about leaving the farm for other non-farming activities. The researchers also talked to farm advisors and how they were well placed to recognise problems arising on farms. The ‘On Feirm Ground’ initiative aims to train advisors in these skills which will help to recognise and broach these topics with farmers. Noel stressed that no matter what problem is on the farm the best method of solving the problem is to talk to someone. This could by a spouse, friend, neighbour or advisor. The key is to start a conservation. A problem shared is a problem halved. For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to: <a href="https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/</a>

Managing Your Greatest Asset: Your Health

The Tillage Edge is Teagasc's new tillage podcast, presented by Michael Hennessy.During the Covid-19 crisis we'll be bringing you weekly episodes covering agronomy needs of crops throughout the season with input from Teagasc researchers and views from across the industry.Subscribe and listen on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.The Tillage Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia (https://www.LastCastMedia.com) .

Catherine Keena, Environmental Specialist in Teagasc joins Michael Hennessy on the latest Tillage Edge podcast to talk about hedges on tillage farms and how best to manage them.Catherine explained that hedges are excellent for both biodiversity and carbon capture.  She pointed out that it’s the linear length that matters most, in that normal hedges around smaller fields are more beneficial than a larger hedge surrounding a very large field.Catherine recommends leaving hedges a little scruffy i.e. not cutting every year, but it is important to modify hedge trimming to allow the hedge to grow to more than 1.5 metres and allow the base of the hedge to grow outwards giving an “A” shaped hedge. For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to:https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/

Catherine Keena, Environmental Specialist in Teagasc joins Michael Hennessy on the latest Tillage Edge podcast to talk about hedges on tillage farms and how best to manage them. Catherine explained that hedges are excellent for both biodiversity and carbon capture. She pointed out that it’s the linear length that matters most, in that normal hedges around smaller fields are more beneficial than a larger hedge surrounding a very large field. Catherine recommends leaving hedges a little scruffy i.e. not cutting every year, but it is important to modify hedge trimming to allow the hedge to grow to more than 1.5 metres and allow the base of the hedge to grow outwards giving an “A” shaped hedge. For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to: <a href="https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/</a>

Managing hedges on tillage farms

Decreased water quality issues are widespread across Ireland regardless of area or farming system in that area and ASSAP, the Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advice Programme, is tasked with working with farmers to help improve water quality.On this episode of the Tillage Edge, Fiona Doolan, ASSAP advisor in Teagasc, joins Michael Hennessy to explain the programme and how the supports behind it enable a disentanglement of the source of the problem whether agricultural or non-agricultural.Fiona also explained how nutrient leaching especially nitrates and phosphorus (as soil sediment) is the main problem in tillage areas.  Fiona and her colleagues have a variety of very practical solutions which can go a long way to mitigating these challenges coming from tillage areas.  To find out more go to:https://www.teagasc.ie/environment/water-quality/farming-for-water-quality-assap/ For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to:https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/

Decreased water quality issues are widespread across Ireland regardless of area or farming system in that area and ASSAP, the Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advice Programme, is tasked with working with farmers to help improve water quality. On this episode of the Tillage Edge, Fiona Doolan, ASSAP advisor in Teagasc, joins Michael Hennessy to explain the programme and how the supports behind it enable a disentanglement of the source of the problem whether agricultural or non-agricultural. Fiona also explained how nutrient leaching especially nitrates and phosphorus (as soil sediment) is the main problem in tillage areas. Fiona and her colleagues have a variety of very practical solutions which can go a long way to mitigating these challenges coming from tillage areas. To find out more go to: <a href="https://www.teagasc.ie/environment/water-quality/farming-for-water-quality-assap/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.teagasc.ie/environment/water-quality/farming-for-water-quality-assap/</a> For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to: <a href="https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/</a>

Improving water quality in tillage areas with ASSAP

Dr. Daire O’Huallachain, an agro-ecologist in Teagasc, joined Michael Hennessy on this week’s Tillage Edge podcast to discuss biodiversity on the agricultural landscape.  Daire firstly explained that biodiversity in a landscape includes all the plants, insects, animals within it and that the biodiversity within an area will be a reflection of the management of that area, e.g. biodiversity in a rural area will be different compared to an agriculture landscape.  Tillage crops add to the overall biodiversity in the agricultural landscape with particular species adapted to thrive on the tillage area and are dependent on it. Tillage is similar to other intensive farms with approximately 5-7% of the area dedicated to biodiversity habitats.  However despite the quantity, Daire said the quality of these areas are often poor.  Daire suggests a change, spurred on by Farm to Fork policies, to a quantity and quality of habitats and rewarding farmers with results-based payments will encourage farmers to manage habitats better and ultimately give a better outcome.   For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go tohttps://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/

Dr. Daire O’Huallachain, an agro-ecologist in Teagasc, joined Michael Hennessy on this week’s Tillage Edge podcast to discuss biodiversity on the agricultural landscape. Daire firstly explained that biodiversity in a landscape includes all the plants, insects, animals within it and that the biodiversity within an area will be a reflection of the management of that area, e.g. biodiversity in a rural area will be different compared to an agriculture landscape. Tillage crops add to the overall biodiversity in the agricultural landscape with particular species adapted to thrive on the tillage area and are dependent on it. Tillage is similar to other intensive farms with approximately 5-7% of the area dedicated to biodiversity habitats. However despite the quantity, Daire said the quality of these areas are often poor. Daire suggests a change, spurred on by Farm to Fork policies, to a quantity and quality of habitats and rewarding farmers with results-based payments will encourage farmers to manage habitats better and ultimately give a better outcome. For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to <a href="https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/</a>

How tillage crops can influence the biodiversity on an agricultural landscape

Dr Stephen Kildea, a plant pathologist in Teagasc and Ciaran Collins, a crops specialist in Teagasc joined Michael Hennessy on this week’s Tillage Edge podcast to discuss weed control at this time of year.   Ciaran began by discussing weed control in oilseed rape and he also explained that due to late planting and delayed crop development, weed control was even more important this year as crops will not be as competitive as normal this year.Dr. Stephen Kildea said phoma is generally the first visible disease in oilseed rape.  There is some varietal resistance and the resistance along with canopy size can be used as a guide to determine the threshold for disease control with fungicides.  Light Leaf Spot, a wet weather disease, emerges as a problem later in the season although not every year.  As Light Leaf spot can be difficult to see in the field, growers should take leaf samples regularly and put them into a ‘hot box’ to observe if the disease is present.  Control measures can then be determined.   For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go tohttps://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/

Dr Stephen Kildea, a plant pathologist in Teagasc and Ciaran Collins, a crops specialist in Teagasc joined Michael Hennessy on this week’s Tillage Edge podcast to discuss weed control at this time of year. Ciaran began by discussing weed control in oilseed rape and he also explained that due to late planting and delayed crop development, weed control was even more important this year as crops will not be as competitive as normal this year. Dr. Stephen Kildea said phoma is generally the first visible disease in oilseed rape. There is some varietal resistance and the resistance along with canopy size can be used as a guide to determine the threshold for disease control with fungicides. Light Leaf Spot, a wet weather disease, emerges as a problem later in the season although not every year. As Light Leaf spot can be difficult to see in the field, growers should take leaf samples regularly and put them into a ‘hot box’ to observe if the disease is present. Control measures can then be determined. For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to <a href="https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/</a>

Advice for weed control at this time of year

Dr. Michael Gaffney, a Research Entomologist in Teagasc, joined Michael Hennessy on this week’s Tillage Edge podcast to discuss aphid control and BYDV.  Michael explained that even though there is some infection initially from winged aphids, only a small proportion of the problematic aphids (Grain aphid and Bird Cherry Oat aphid) actually carry the virus.  It’s the offspring of these aphids which can spread more virus within the crop.  Environmental factors such as temperature, wind and rain can affect how fast aphids reproduce and these factors dictate when control measures are best used.Michael also discussed insecticide resistance and even though there is pyrethroid resistance across the country, pyrethroids will work well in most cases.  He stresses the need for constant field walking to observe both aphid numbers and also species type.  For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go tohttps://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/

Dr. Michael Gaffney, a Research Entomologist in Teagasc, joined Michael Hennessy on this week’s Tillage Edge podcast to discuss aphid control and BYDV. Michael explained that even though there is some infection initially from winged aphids, only a small proportion of the problematic aphids (Grain aphid and Bird Cherry Oat aphid) actually carry the virus. It’s the offspring of these aphids which can spread more virus within the crop. Environmental factors such as temperature, wind and rain can affect how fast aphids reproduce and these factors dictate when control measures are best used. Michael also discussed insecticide resistance and even though there is pyrethroid resistance across the country, pyrethroids will work well in most cases. He stresses the need for constant field walking to observe both aphid numbers and also species type. For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to <a href="https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/</a>

Aphid control and BYDV

Weed control in winter cereals is the topic covered on this week’s Tillage Edge podcast with Martin Bourke and Jimmy Staples joining Michael Hennessy to discuss in more detail. Martin, a Teagasc advisor from Wicklow, discussed the advantages of selecting a pre-emergence or post emergence herbicide options.  Martin outlined knowing the field history is extremely important to selecting the best pre-emergence herbicide but also pointed out that a follow up post emergence clean herbicide up treatment is needed.  He explained this gives the farmer a chance to use herbicides with alternative modes of action which will help to reduce the chances of herbicide resistance developing in the field.Jimmy Staples, from the Teagasc ECT project, discussed controlling grass weeds in winter cereals.  Jimmy agreed that pre-emergence herbicides work well in most situations, however, he pointed out there are more options for wheat than barley.  Jimmy also warns farmers about blackgrass control on farm.  For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go tohttps://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/

Weed control in winter cereals is the topic covered on this week’s Tillage Edge podcast with Martin Bourke and Jimmy Staples joining Michael Hennessy to discuss in more detail. Martin, a Teagasc advisor from Wicklow, discussed the advantages of selecting a pre-emergence or post emergence herbicide options. Martin outlined knowing the field history is extremely important to selecting the best pre-emergence herbicide but also pointed out that a follow up post emergence clean herbicide up treatment is needed. He explained this gives the farmer a chance to use herbicides with alternative modes of action which will help to reduce the chances of herbicide resistance developing in the field. Jimmy Staples, from the Teagasc ECT project, discussed controlling grass weeds in winter cereals. Jimmy agreed that pre-emergence herbicides work well in most situations, however, he pointed out there are more options for wheat than barley. Jimmy also warns farmers about blackgrass control on farm. For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to <a href="https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/</a>

Weed control in winter cereals

James McDonnell a Financial Specialist in Teagasc joins Michael Hennessy on this week’s Tillage Edge podcast to discuss how best to manage your farm finances.James starts with the basics describing the differences between main concepts like turnover, profit and cash flow.  ”Cash flow is essentially a measure of the cash in your account,” he explains.  “In certain circumstances you could have a high turnover, have a taxable profit, but little money in your bank account. So for farmers the best measure to track is cash flow”.James details where farmers should start to get a handle on their cash flow and outlines some of the useful tools like the Tillage 5 minute Cash flow, the Teagasc Cost control planner and e-Profit Monitor which are easy to set up and use.  Digging into the profitability on a field by field basis as well as comparing crops or enterprises on the farm will help to develop a better cash flow projection for the coming months.  All of these tools are available on www.teagasc.ie   For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go tohttps://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/

James McDonnell a Financial Specialist in Teagasc joins Michael Hennessy on this week’s Tillage Edge podcast to discuss how best to manage your farm finances. James starts with the basics describing the differences between main concepts like turnover, profit and cash flow. ”Cash flow is essentially a measure of the cash in your account,” he explains. “In certain circumstances you could have a high turnover, have a taxable profit, but little money in your bank account. So for farmers the best measure to track is cash flow”. James details where farmers should start to get a handle on their cash flow and outlines some of the useful tools like the Tillage 5 minute Cash flow, the Teagasc Cost control planner and e-Profit Monitor which are easy to set up and use. Digging into the profitability on a field by field basis as well as comparing crops or enterprises on the farm will help to develop a better cash flow projection for the coming months. All of these tools are available on <a href="http://www.teagasc.ie" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.teagasc.ie</a> For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to <a href="https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/</a>

Managing Your Farm Finances

James Nolan, a grain trader from R&amp;H Hall, joined Michael Hennessy on the Tillage Edge podcast this week to discuss the cereal harvest around the world and what that means for Irish tillage producers.   James talked about the volumes of maize, wheat, and barley production around the world and noted Russia's large harvest at an estimated 83 million tonnes.  This is currently the cheapest supply of wheat in the world.   Closer to home, the difficult planting conditions last year impacted both Ireland and Europe with the result there is less wheat in the system.   This is currently driving the price (along with other factors) however James thinks this will reduce overtime.James commented that there isn't a shortage of milling wheat at the moment although exports of milling wheat from Europe are down by 50%.   Up to the middle of this year maize dictated the price of cereals in Ireland however given the current maize harvest (and yield predictions) barley is now the main driver.   James said there were opportunities for farmers to sell forward during this year (wheat in the range €195/t) and added there will be opportunities in the next couple of months but growers should keep an eye on the price differential between barley and wheat. National Crops ForumDon't forget the second part of the largest National Crops Forum is taking place this Thursday September 17th @6.30pm, as a webinar over zoom.   The forum will look at the Green Deal and Farm to Fork and also look forward to how the industry may be developed over the next number of years.   To register for the forum please click here: https://www.teagasc.ie/news--events/national-events/events/nationalcropsforum2.phpFor more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go tohttps://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/

James Nolan, a grain trader from R&amp;H Hall, joined Michael Hennessy on the Tillage Edge podcast this week to discuss the cereal harvest around the world and what that means for Irish tillage producers. James talked about the volumes of maize, wheat, and barley production around the world and noted Russia's large harvest at an estimated 83 million tonnes. This is currently the cheapest supply of wheat in the world. Closer to home, the difficult planting conditions last year impacted both Ireland and Europe with the result there is less wheat in the system. This is currently driving the price (along with other factors) however James thinks this will reduce overtime. James commented that there isn't a shortage of milling wheat at the moment although exports of milling wheat from Europe are down by 50%. Up to the middle of this year maize dictated the price of cereals in Ireland however given the current maize harvest (and yield predictions) barley is now the main driver. James said there were opportunities for farmers to sell forward during this year (wheat in the range €195/t) and added there will be opportunities in the next couple of months but growers should keep an eye on the price differential between barley and wheat. National Crops Forum Don't forget the second part of the largest National Crops Forum is taking place this Thursday September 17th @6.30pm, as a webinar over zoom. The forum will look at the Green Deal and Farm to Fork and also look forward to how the industry may be developed over the next number of years. To register for the forum please click here: <a href="https://www.teagasc.ie/news--events/national-events/events/nationalcropsforum2.php" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.teagasc.ie/news--events/national-events/events/nationalcropsforum2.php</a> For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to <a href="https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/</a>

The cereal harvest around the world and what that means for Irish tillage producers

Dr Veronica Nyham from Teagasc, Portlaoise joins Michael Hennessy on this week’s Tillage Edge podcast to discuss important aspects of soil fertility and soil sampling.  Veronica explains that over 50% of tillage soils have low soil fertility (index 1 and 2).  Where farmers are using maintenance fertiliser levels on these fields then crop yield will be penalised. Lime is the most import part of soil fertility and will aid or hinder the uptake of all nutrients.  Due to crop yield, rainfall and chemical fertiliser input soils need about 1.5-2.5 tonnes of lime every 5 years.  Veronica emphasises the importance of mapping fields before soil sampling to take account of soil variability.  Teagasc are available to take the soil sample through our soil sampler service and then create a Nutrient Management Plan when the results are available. Finally, the Crops Forum takes place on Thursday September 10th and 17th between 6.30-7.30pm on both evenings.  Topics like varieties, BYDV, Green Deal and recommendations for the development of the tillage sector and more will be discussed.  For more information seehttps://www.teagasc.ie/news--events/national-events/events/nationalcropsforum.phpFor more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go tohttps://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/ The Tillage Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.

Dr Veronica Nyham from Teagasc, Portlaoise joins Michael Hennessy on this week’s Tillage Edge podcast to discuss important aspects of soil fertility and soil sampling. Veronica explains that over 50% of tillage soils have low soil fertility (index 1 and 2). Where farmers are using maintenance fertiliser levels on these fields then crop yield will be penalised. Lime is the most import part of soil fertility and will aid or hinder the uptake of all nutrients. Due to crop yield, rainfall and chemical fertiliser input soils need about 1.5-2.5 tonnes of lime every 5 years. Veronica emphasises the importance of mapping fields before soil sampling to take account of soil variability. Teagasc are available to take the soil sample through our soil sampler service and then create a Nutrient Management Plan when the results are available. Finally, the Crops Forum takes place on Thursday September 10th and 17th between 6.30-7.30pm on both evenings. Topics like varieties, BYDV, Green Deal and recommendations for the development of the tillage sector and more will be discussed. For more information see <a href="https://www.teagasc.ie/news--events/national-events/events/nationalcropsforum.php" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.teagasc.ie/news--events/national-events/events/nationalcropsforum.php</a> For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to <a href="https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/</a> The Tillage Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.

The Importance of Soil Fertility and Soil Sampling

On this week’s Tillage Edge podcast, Michael Hennessy finds out about the harvest so far from the midlands and the south of the country.  John Kelly, from Teagasc Offaly said there are a lot of difficulties this year with low yields of both grain and straw but there are emerging problems of lodged crops and grain loss.  The position is worse in the south with winter wheat shedding heads and grain resulting substantial grain loss.  Michael McCarthy Teagasc Cork explained that, similar to the midlands, spring barley is struggling to pass as malting barley with only about 50% is expected to pass now.  Another concern emerging, following all the rain, is the deteriorating ground conditions.  It is a difficult harvest all round!For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go tohttps://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/ The Tillage Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.

On this week’s Tillage Edge podcast, Michael Hennessy finds out about the harvest so far from the midlands and the south of the country. John Kelly, from Teagasc Offaly said there are a lot of difficulties this year with low yields of both grain and straw but there are emerging problems of lodged crops and grain loss. The position is worse in the south with winter wheat shedding heads and grain resulting substantial grain loss. Michael McCarthy Teagasc Cork explained that, similar to the midlands, spring barley is struggling to pass as malting barley with only about 50% is expected to pass now. Another concern emerging, following all the rain, is the deteriorating ground conditions. It is a difficult harvest all round! For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to <a href="https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/</a> The Tillage Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.

Harvest Update from the Midlands and South

The Tillage Edge is Teagasc's new tillage podcast, presented by Michael Hennessy. During the Covid-19 crisis we'll be bringing you weekly episodes covering agronomy needs of crops throughout the season with input from Teagasc researchers and views from across the industry. Subscribe and listen on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. The Tillage Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia (<a href="https://www.LastCastMedia.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.LastCastMedia.com</a>) .

The Tillage Edge

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