Teagasc announces advisory service to see farming into the future
It said successful commercial farms in the future will increasingly depend on cutting-edge technology to remain competitive.
Successive recent agriculture policy reforms have provided the opportunity to shift the future development of farm businesses away from scheme-driven income to a more market- based business.
Teagasc has responded to this changing farming environment and adapted its advisory service to meet the needs of modern farmers with A New Advisory Service – For Better Farming.
Pat Boyle, head of advisory services in Teagasc, said the new service is built around four distinct programmes –— business and technology, good farm practice, rural development and adult training.
It will be delivered through Teagasc’s nationwide office network, which is organised into 18 area units, to allow it to provide a local service to all its customers, regard- less of location.
“Dedicated business and technology advisors, supported by a national group of enterprise specialists, will focus on improving farm businesses by challenging the status quo and increasing the uptake of technology onto farms,” Mr Boyle said.
The business and technology programme will be delivered by 78 specialist dairy advisors, 32 cattle and sheep advisors, and 15 tillage advisors.
Teagasc acting director Tom Kirley said the new advisory service will best equip farmers to deal with ever-changing and evolving European agriculture policy: “We have had milk quotas for nearly 25 years, but a major change is expected as part of the 2008 health check of the CAP. It is 15 years since the McSharry reforms brought in a whole new raft of schemes.
“The Fischler reform has already confined many of these schemes to history with the introduction of the Single Farm Payment but others like REPS, farm retirement and forestry remain and will continue to have a major influence on Irish farms.”
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