Irish Farmers Journal podcasts

This week we chat to Darren on all you need to know about schemes, Aidan updates us on what is happening in the fields and Lorcan shares the latest from dairy companies. We also chat to John Brennan from Grassland Agro on optimising grass growth.

On this week’s Tillage Podcast we went walking crops with Quinns of Baltinglass agronomist James O’Loughlin in Wicklow and Kildare to see what’s happening with crops in the area. We look at this week’s paper, have an update on progress with the Food Vision Tillage Group’s report, blackgrass and have the grain trends and weather reports. The Tillage Podcast is supported by Bayer Crop Science.

Elaine Houlihan is soon to finish her two-year stint as president of Macra na Feirme, and some 140,000km and copious cups of coffee later, we catch up with Elaine to reflect on her presidency.From the unexpected highs to the lower points, Elaine talks frankly about what the last two years of her life has entailed as head of Macra na Feirme, the organisation that is ‘’started by farmers, continues with friends.’’ From monthly visits to Brussels to representing the organisation, to club meetings in rural parishes, she has loved every minute. Elaine discusses what she will miss about the role, and what she looks forward to after she leaves the title to president elect Josephine O’Neill.

 This week, we speak to Adam on the new suckler scheme, while Darren updates us on lamb prices and Aidan talks breeding and milk prices.

This week, we discuss falling cattle numbers, rising water charges and what farmers will have to do to receive the full €75/head in Budget 2025's suckler scheme. 

On this week’s podcast we report from Brussels and meetings with politicians and Commission officials. We talk to Bayer on crop protection products and the magic sprayer. We have news on a new potato fungicide. As always, we have the grain trends and weather reports. The Tillage Podcast is supported by Bayer Crop Science.

This week, veterinary student Patrick O’Donnell from Co Waterford speaks of his plans to set off working as a farm vet and why his family added a few pedigree Shorthorns to their high-EBI Holstein Friesian herd.

This week we talk to Adam about the beef trade, we chat to Darren about sheep prices and ACRES rewetting, while Aidan talks about heifer numbers and grass growth. We also speak to Peter Linden from Grassland AGRO about reseeding.