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FARMING - AGRIBUSINESS and TECH

A collection of the latest news, views and analysis from the farming desk on the topic of Agribusiness and technology.

<p>Agriculture minister Martin Heydon and European environment commissioner Jessika Roswall visited the farm of Pat and Kaleigh Durkin near Kilcullen, Co Kildare, on Friday. Picture: Department of Agriculture</p>

farming

Is this likely to be Ireland’s last derogation?

The draft proposals for the sixth Nitrates Action Programme include additional slurry storage and a mandatory nutrient balance number for every farm — a measure aimed at ensuring farmers track what nutrients are entering and leaving their holdings

<p>(Left to right) Dr Stuart Childs, Teagasc dairy specialist, Dr Conor Hogan, Teagasc People in Dairy programme manager, Donal Mullane, Teagasc Tipperary regional manager, Dr Elodie Ruelle, Teagasc senior research officer, Dr Sarah Walsh, Teagasc research officer and Professor Donagh Berry, Teagasc quantitative geneticist at the launch of the Teagasc National Dairy Conference on 'Pathways To Progress'. Picture: O'Gorman Photography</p>

farming

Teagasc dairy conference heads for Tipperary and Cavan

<p>Milk prices remained strong this year until the autumn, running about 7% higher than 2024, but the cycle has turned downwards at the worst possible time, and 2026 now looks challenging, whether or not the nitrates derogation is retained.</p>

farming

Stephen Cadogan: Fine weather, full tanks and falling prices — the dairy paradox of 2025

EU adopts proposal to exempt small farmers from crop diversification and rotation rules

farming

EU adopts proposal to exempt small farmers from crop diversification and rotation rules

Soy beans

farming

Livestock sector faces €1.5bn hit from rising soya prices

Bird flu

farming

Bird flu: How many cases of the highly contagious virus have broken out in Ireland?

Brian Reidy

Hazell Mullins, Vet on the Moove

Kieran Coughlan, Farm Finance

Paula Hynes, Hoofing It

Female doctor giving vaccine to a male patient

Merchants fear fallout as anti-parasitic rule change looms

Central Statistics Office data indicates that Ireland's veterinary medicines market is worth about €400m annually

Wed, 12 Nov, 2025

Chicken with freshly laid eggs

Bruising under skin a telltale sign of bird flu, top vet says

Haemorrhaging under the skin of birds is a consistent common symptom amongst all positive bird flu cases so far

Wed, 12 Nov, 2025

Full-sized hybrid loader and compostable bale wrap among New Holland's Agritechnica launches

Full-sized hybrid loader and compostable bale wrap among New Holland's Agritechnica launches

Nature’s Net Wrap marks a milestone for sustainable farming

Wed, 12 Nov, 2025

Agritechnica reveals its 2026 Tractor of the Year line-up

Agritechnica reveals its 2026 Tractor of the Year line-up

The award for 'Sustainable Tractor of the Year' was presented on Sunday, November 9, at Agritechnica, the world’s largest agricultural machinery and technology show

Wed, 12 Nov, 2025

Sheep in pens at Winslow Primestock Show, Buckinghamshire

Lamb prices steady but mart trade remains flat

Supplies to factories remain lower than this time last year, and prices are weaker than in 2024

Tue, 11 Nov, 2025

workplace food industry - factory butchery for the production of sausages - butcher cuts meat

Factory prices steady but perks tighten for beef producers

Processors are operating on a tightrope policy — wanting intake to hold up but without additional costs, a delicate balance to achieve

Tue, 11 Nov, 2025

Ireland wins World’s Best Steak award

Ireland wins World’s Best Steak award

Dawn Meats and Lidl secured the 'World's Best Steak' award for their Irish grass-fed sirloin at the World Steak Challenge

Tue, 11 Nov, 2025

Storage of manure

How much more slurry storage will I need under the new Nitrates Action Programme?

To give farmers time to plan and invest in additional storage, the new requirements will not come into effect until October 1, 2028

Tue, 11 Nov, 2025

Black and white dairy cow grazing contentedly relaxed and happy while other cows graze behind. Methane and greenhouse gases a bi

ICMSA: Derogation farmers “are the most inspected and supervised in the State”

During EU Environment Commissioner Roswall's recent visit to Ireland the ICMSA appealed directly to her on behalf of Irish derogation farmers.

Tue, 11 Nov, 2025

Precious produce

Domestic milk intake up almost 400 million litres compared to 2024

It comes despite dairy cow numbers being on the decline in the past few years

Tue, 11 Nov, 2025

Hereford cows with merino sheep

Underfunded welfare schemes see farmers pay the price

ICSA said sheep and beef welfare scheme cuts are counterproductive after farmers have invested in animal welfare improvements

Mon, 10 Nov, 2025

Calls for more funding for female farmers and entrepreneurs

Calls for more funding for female farmers and entrepreneurs

MEP Maria Walsh has secured a vote of support from European Parliament's Agriculture Committee to increase funding for female farmers and entrepreneurs

Mon, 10 Nov, 2025

Tractor miniature with coins on fertile soil land

Department pays nearly €147m to almost 34,000 ACRES farmers

Minister of agriculture, Martin Heydon, it reflects the Government’s commitment to supporting farm families in a range of environmental, biodiversity, water quality and climate projects

Mon, 10 Nov, 2025

Commissioner: Farmers’ environmental work ‘not in vain’ as derogation talks intensify

Commissioner: Farmers’ environmental work ‘not in vain’ as derogation talks intensify

European environment commissioner Jessika Roswall said she hoped to 'consider the request for the derogation positively'

Fri, 07 Nov, 2025

Indoors chicken farm, chicken feeding, farm for growing broiler chickens

Bird owners encouraged to house their birds immediately

Bird owners have been encouraged to house their birds if facilities allow, ahead of the compulsory housing order due to current outbreaks of bird flu.

Fri, 07 Nov, 2025

Smarter food: How AI is shaping the future of Ireland’s food industry

Smarter food: How AI is shaping the future of Ireland’s food industry

The Teagasc Food Innovation Gateway event heard how AI can promote sustainability, ensure traceability, and reduce energy consumption and waste

Thu, 06 Nov, 2025

Losing derogation will be catastrophic, IFA meeting told

Losing derogation will be catastrophic, IFA meeting told

The Irish Farmers’ Association Nitrates Derogation meeting heard that a loss of derogation would incur an average reduction of €43,500 to a family farm income if stocking rates are forced to drop

Wed, 05 Nov, 2025

Grazing Cows

Irish farms produce enough protein for 30 million people

Report shows the average dairy farm generates enough protein per hectare to meet the yearly requirement of 20 people, while the corresponding figures for the average tillage, cattle and sheep farm are 15, four and three, respectively

Wed, 05 Nov, 2025

Water pollution

Every small action counts: How ASSAP helps farmers protect water

Industry groups have warned that losing the derogation could spell the end for one in eight dairy family farms, a €555 million reduction in Irish farm income, and could reduce our dairy exports by one seventh.

Wed, 05 Nov, 2025

"Float like a butterfly": Irish beekeepers face threat from foreign imports and the EU single market

"Float like a butterfly": Irish beekeepers face threat from foreign imports and the EU single market

Attorney General warns banning non-native honeybees may breach EU trade regulations

Wed, 05 Nov, 2025

Man holding a calculator calculating land sales tax and document management of land purchases. The concept for residential const

Flat-rate VAT payment decrease to cost farmers €61.5m in 2026

Farmers' flat-rate VAT payment decreasing from 5.1% to 4.5% ensures changes in Budget 2026 have been overall negative for farmers

Wed, 05 Nov, 2025

Aerial view of Island Magee, County Antrim

Agricultural land sales dropped by almost 9% in 2024

A total of 57,212 acres of agricultural land was sold in 2024, a drop on 2023 figures, but 2024 experienced a median increase of 10.3% in price per acre

Wed, 05 Nov, 2025

Solar panels. Power station. Blue solar panels. Alternative source of electricity. Solar farm. The source of ecological renewabl

John Gibbons: Saying nuclear power is better for the environment than solar is ludicrous

The idea that intensive dairy farming is some kind of pastoral idyll with no impact on the environment has been allowed to take hold to the point that serious people are now suggesting nuclear reactors instead of solar

Wed, 05 Nov, 2025

Irish tillage farming

New Nitrates Action Plan proposes to drop shallow cultivation for tillage farms

IFA grain chair Kieran McEvoy said tillage farmers would welcome the proposals to drop shallow cultivation

Tue, 04 Nov, 2025

Close up shot of raw meat hanging on hooks at a slaughterhouse

Beef processors tighten control on price rises

There’s still a very positive tone to the trade overall, writes Martin Ryan

Tue, 04 Nov, 2025

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Kieran Coughlan

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