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Irish Farmers Journal podcasts
Growing Minds - Sowing the seeds for a future in Agricultural Science
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On the first episode of our new podcast, Growing Minds, aimed at secondary school students, Sarah McIntosh speaks to two college students about the different pathways into agriculture, student life and the future of farming.
The Irish Farmers Journal has launched a brand-new podcast series, ‘Growing Minds’, aimed at secondary school students and those studying agricultural science in school.
On this week's episode, careers and education journalist Sarah McIntosh explores the different educational pathways into agricultural science through the CAO system and beyond.
Joining her live in the studio are two third-level students, Ciaran McLoughlin, the Ag Soc auditor in University College Dublin and Ellen Feerey, a final year student from South East Technological University, Waterford.
Hailing from a sheep farm in Trim, Co Meath Ciaran outlines why he decided to study a course in UCD and what growing up on a farm taught him from a young age.
Ellen from Tyrellspass, Co Westmeath took a different pathway into college, spending two years in Gurteen Agriculture College before transferring into a Level 8 agriculture science degree at SETU. She outlines the benefit this had on her studies and why she would encourage other students to look into alternative pathways.
Both students offer their advice on studying agricultural science, what to look out for when choosing your college course and what the future of farming looks like from a young perspective.
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Young Stock Podcast - Real farming life with Annie McGuinness and Grá
58:18|On this week’s Youngstock podcast, Annie McGuinness joins Martin Merrick to talk about her rising social media following, the positives and negatives and her involvement with the Cooley sheep breeders.Annie McGuinness has seen her social media reach sky rocket from under 10,000 followers to over 80,000 in the space of a few short months. The proud Louth farmer and her viral pet lamb Grá have taken Instagram and Tik Tok by storm, with the dynamic duo featuring on Ireland AM as well as local and national radio. Annie talks about her background in agriculture, why she began posting content online and how that has grown considerably over the last few months, as well as the negatives and positives of a presence on social media.Daire and Martin talk about what’s happening with them this week as well as who would play the Farmers Journal team if there was a biopic. Eoin Lowry, Head of Agriculture with Bank of Ireland, chats to Martin about financing land purchases; what banks look at in terms of repayment capacity, deposits and how it may affect a mortgage application.
Farm Tech Talk - New TB programme, Brazil fights back and BISS
01:01:02|This week, Stephen and the panel discuss the EU fertiliser plan, hogget prices, the new TB on-farm biosecurity programme, BlSS, and Kerry Dairy Ireland's new name. Stephen also chats to Clodagh Bolger from Grassland AGRO about reseeding. 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 Talkis 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
Inside the Farmers Journal - the suckler revival
24:36|On this week’s show Declan O’Brien looks at the revival in suckler numbers, we look at tree planting levels and the EU’s fertiliser plan.
Tillage podcast - French perspective, a World of seed and trade deals
30:32|We report from the World Seed Congress this week. We chat to a French farmer and grain analyst, Arthur Portier, from Argus Media. We met Goldcrop’s Donal Fitzgerald, who was doing business and trading seed at the congress, and we chatted to the North American Grain Export Association on the US-China trade deal and deforestation regulations. It’s a jam-packed episode, and we’ll let you know what’s in the paper as well. The Tillage Podcast is supported by Bayer Crop Science.
Trailer Inside Dairy - Ornua market update, Kinisla and non-cycling cows
05:55|This week on Inside Dairy, we hear from Ornua’s Ciarán Aylward on the latest trends in dairy markets from supply and demand to future outlooks on milk price.CEO of Kinisla, formerly known as Kerry Dairy Ireland, Pat Murphy discusses the co-op’s name change and we review the performance of the business in 2025.With the weather forecast expected to pick up from the weekend and growth rates predicted to lift, managing grass quality and surpluses will be a challenge. Aidan Brennan and Daire Cregg discuss the best management practices for getting the next couple of weeks right.Finally, on the breakdown we take a look at submission rates and what to do with those cows in the herd that have not yet cycled.Hear all of this and more on this week’s Inside Dairy with Aidan Brennan and Daire Cregg.
Young Stock Podcast - Who tells farming’s story best?
38:50|On this week’s podcast, Sarah McIntosh speaks to Monaghan native Niall Hurson about his Nuffield Scholarship and the importance of gaining perspective abroadSuckler farmer and 2024 Nuffield Scholar Niall Hurson from Smithborough, Co Monaghan, is this week’s Young Stock Podcast guest. Niall discusses his career pathway from graduating from University College Dublin with an animal science degree in 2020 to working for leading media outlets, which include the Irish Farmers Journal, the Farming Independent and RTÉ’s Ear to the Ground.In 2024, Niall took on a new venture, as he was successfully awarded a Nuffield Ireland Scholarship. While working full-time, he spent two years travelling across the globe to different countries like Brazil, the USA, New Zealand, Australia, India and Mexico. His topic, which investigated who tells farming’s story best, was about identifying how agricultural and farming stories are told in different countries across the world and mapping the voices that are shaping the future of agriculture. Niall also speaks about the significant Nuffield Ireland triennial summit that is taking place on Friday, 22 May in Killashee Hotel, Co Kildare and explains why agri leaders from across the world are coming to Ireland.
Farm Tech Talk – Live from Balmoral Show 2026
01:09:51|This week, Stephen and the panel are live from Balmoral Show 2026 in Belfast, discussing all things farming. Adam Woods also talks to John McLenaghan, UFU President, about what’s on farmers minds at the show. Join the Farm Tech Talk communityWe welcome any feedback andquestions you have for the Farm Tech Talk team. Please email farmtechtalk@farmersjournal.ie or send a text or voice note to our WhatsApp number 086836 6465Click here if you would like a weekly email notification whenFarm 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
The Tillage Podcast - Brewery opening, treating grain and tillage support
30:21|On this week’s show we bring you to the opening of the new Diageo brewery in Co Kildare, chat to Minister Martin Heydon and Drinks Ireland’s Cormac Healy. We hear how treating Irish grain can result in a lower carbon footprint in pig production, look at the paper, talk T2s on winter wheat and have the grain trends and weather reports. The Tillage Podcast is supported by Bayer Crop Science.
Inside the Farmers Journal - EU could ban Brazilian beef
24:23|On this week’s show, Noel Bardon brings us the latest on the potential for an all-out ban on Brazilian meat imports in September, we hear from the Teagasc/FBD student of the year finalists and Diageo’s new brewery.