Irish Farmers Journal podcasts

On this week’s podcast we talk fieldwork and the struggle on farms across the country at present. We chat to fungicide expert Professor Fiona Burnett of the Scottish Rural College on resistance.We also run through feed and grain imports for 2025, look at the paper and have the grain trends and weather reports. The Tillage Podcast is supported by Bayer Crop Science.

Inside the Farmers Journal: Healy-Rae resigns and €100m in fuel supportsOn this week’s show, the team discusses Michael Healy-Rae’s resignation, hears from Minister Martin Heydon on the new €100m fuel package and looks at the lack of engagement with protesters.

In this special podcast from The Irish Farmers Journal, Aidan Brennan is joined by Agri Business Editor Lorcan Roche Kelly for an in-depth look at one of the biggest pressures facing farming today—the global fuel crisis.As energy prices surge, we unpack what’s really driving the spike, from geopolitical tensions to market dynamics, and what it all means on the ground for Irish farmers and contractors. From diesel costs to the ripple effects on fertiliser, feed, and transport, this episode connects the global picture to the reality on Irish farms.Lorcan brings his expertise to break down the latest government supports, explaining new measures aimed at easing the burden of rising diesel prices, and outlining exactly how taxes like excise, carbon tax, and VAT are impacting agricultural fuel costs.We also examine the role of conflict in the Middle East in pushing energy markets higher—and crucially, whether any resolution could lead to meaningful price relief in the months ahead.If you’re trying to make sense of rising costs and what they mean for your business now and into the future, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

This week on Inside Dairy, Aidan Brennan and Daire Cregg dig into the key issues shaping dairy farming right now.We start with the weather and its major influence on grass growth across the country—what it means for farm performance in the weeks ahead. Then we break down the latest insights from Ornua’s annual report, including comments from CEO Conor Galvin.Teagasc’s Caitlin Looney joins the show to discuss all things clover, with practical advice on what farmers should be doing at this stage of the season.And in The Breakdown, we tackle a crucial question for spring-calving herds: when is the right time to start the breeding season?All that and more in this week’s episode of Inside Dairy.To hear the full episode of Inside Dairy, subscribe now.Find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or at www.ifj.ie/podcasts.

Well-known dairy farmer Katie Gleeson is this week’s guest on the Young Stock Podcast, joining Sarah McIntosh and Martin Merrick. With over 32.3k followers on her Instagram account Katie in the Country, she is well known for promoting agriculture to the general public online. Not originally from a farming background, Katie qualified as a hairdresser and opened her own salon. She married her husband Phil and built a family home on their dairy farm. While raising their three children, Daniel, Faye and Jack, Katie began sharing the realities of farming online because of her love of photography. Since then, Katie has grown a large following and partners with brands and organisations as a farming influencer. She is also a farm ambassador for the National Dairy Council (NDC) and a member of Dairy Women Ireland.Three years ago, Katie went back to college as a mature student and studied agriculture and sustainability at Technological University of the Shannon (TUS), Thurles. Now on professional work experience with Agri Aware, Katie discusses her college course and the opportunities for ag graduates in the sector.Sarah and Martin also discuss their pet peeves, favourite languages and why a chance DM has led Martin to question if love is blind.

This week, Stephen chats to Adam on the protests and a lift in the beef trade, Martin talks about the TAMS budget while Aidan discusses milk price and dairy markets. Siobhán joins us to talk about this year’s Crop Protection Magazine for all the latest in plant protection products. Stephen also caught up with Peter Linden from Grassland AGRO to chat about fertiliser options for grazing and silage ground. Join the Farm Tech Talk communityWe welcome any feedback and questions you have for the Farm Tech Talk team. Please email farmtechtalk@farmersjournal.ie or send a text or voice note to our WhatsApp number 086 836 6465Click here if you would like a weekly email notification when Farm Talk is released https://share-eu1.hsforms.com/1LkIraRklQcK5mClBGXTpFgets9e  Farm Alert is now available for beef and sheep farmers as well as dairy farmers. Manage your herd and flock health with ease by signing up at www.farmalert.ie. To get started, watch our quick guide on how to register and set up your account https://youtu.be/zZD-8C7X4LgLearn how to build your calendars to receive automated text reminders https://youtube.com/shorts/uPDisMFEY-k

On this week’s podcast we chat through fieldwork and jobs to be done. We take a look at Crop Protection Magazine and have the grain market and weather reports. This week we have an interview with Steve Dennis of BASF on product development and much more. The Tillage Podcast is supported by Bayer Crop Science.

Inside the Farmers Journal: fuel price protests cause chaosOn this week’s show, the team hears from protestors at the fuel price demonstration and discusses the protest.Get in touch with the show by leaving a comment below or email news@farmersjournal.ie

In a week shaped by fuel protests and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, we break down what it all means for Irish dairy farmers — from input costs to global market ripple effects.Back on home soil, we dig into the Dairygold annual report, highlighting the key insights and what they signal for the months ahead.Our featured interview is with Limerick dairy farmer John McNamara, who shares his perspective on meal feeding — what’s working, what’s not, and where farmers should focus.Plus, we tackle one of the big on-farm decisions: heifer breeding — to synch or not? We weigh up the pros and cons to help you decide what’s right for your system. To contact the show, leave a comment below, or email us on insidedairy@farmersjournal.ie To hear the full episode of Inside Dairy, subscribe now.Find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or at www.ifj.ie/podcasts.