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FARMING - TILLAGE

A collection of our latest farming news, views and analysis on the Tillage sector.

<p>Michelle Allen (left), produce buyer at Marks & Spencer with Jim O'Connor. Wexford’s O’Connor Nurseries is celebrating its 15th Christmas supplying Marks & Spencer stores in Ireland.</p>

farming

Family-owned nursery in Wexford celebrates 30 years of going potty for poinsettia

Jim O’Connor has one key piece of advice: 'To keep your poinsettia alive and healthy, very importantly — don’t overwater it! That’s the quickest way to lose a poinsettia.'

<p>A recently published research paper from Korea has suggested manipulating molecular pathways in crops to make them more resilient in cold weather.</p>

farming

Korean research team discovers new way to protect crops from the cold

<p>The flat-rate farmers Vat scheme is designed to compensate for non-Vat registered farmers for the Vat they receive on selling farm produce and buying farm inputs.</p>

farming

Budget concerns for non-Vat registered farmers

Oats: A crop with more value than the market realises

farming

Oats: A crop with more value than the market realises

Flahavan’s announces oat growers of the year for 2025

farming

Flahavan’s announces oat growers of the year for 2025

Rows of young plug plants growing in a field

farming

Organic farming scheme now open for applications

Brian Reidy

Hazell Mullins, Vet on the Moove

Kieran Coughlan, Farm Finance

Paula Hynes, Hoofing It

Ireland flag on bar chart concept with decreasing values, concept of economic crisis, politics conflicts, war concept with flag

Milk and crop prices have dropped by more than 11% in the past year, CSO reports

Both milk and crop prices have seen significant drops of over 11% in the Agricultural Output Price Index for September 2025, published by the CSO

Wed, 19 Nov, 2025

First Horticulture Forum meeting launches new schemes for 2026

First Horticulture Forum meeting launches new schemes for 2026

Horticulture minister Michael Healy-Rae chaired the first Horticulture Industry Forum growers meeting since its establishment in 2014, launching the new 2026 horticultural schemes

Mon, 17 Nov, 2025

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

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

Small tillage farmers with holdings below 30ha will be exempt from GAEC 7 regulations in 2026, following an approved proposal to the CAP simplification package

Wed, 12 Nov, 2025

Tom Barry: How 2025’s dry season reshaped tillage outcomes

Tom Barry: How 2025’s dry season reshaped tillage outcomes

This year will live long in my memory as a very dry year, punctuated with occasional rainfall, writes North Cork tillage farmer Tom Barry

Thu, 06 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

Male farmer with short brown hair,walking in the direction to his tractor,standing next to his agricultural field in the evening

Sowing mental wellbeing in farming

UCD’s Agri Mental Health Group hopes to put farmers' mental health to the forefront of the conversation, working on driving research and awareness

Tue, 21 Oct, 2025

Signpost: Using precision technology to improve water quality

Signpost: Using precision technology to improve water quality

How a tillage farmer improved water quality on his farm

Fri, 10 Oct, 2025

Shot of an unrecognisable woman using a digital tablet while working on a farm

New NFS Farm Enterprise Data Dashboards launched

Teagasc has launched their new NFS Farm Enterprise Data Dashboard along with the finalised publication of the 2024 National Farm Survey

Tue, 07 Oct, 2025

Aerial view of a tractor in the moment of sowing

Soil fertility actions continue after fertiliser deadline

After the fertiliser deadline, potash can also still be spread

Wed, 01 Oct, 2025

A close-up of barley kernels, ready for malting and brewing

Barley growers warn of crisis as Boortmalt prices fall to five-year low

IFA grain chairman Kieran McEvoy said growers were 'desperately low in confidence' at the moment

Wed, 24 Sep, 2025

Paula Hynes: Maize season makes me wish our contractor had airplanes

Paula Hynes: Maize season makes me wish our contractor had airplanes

While I'm glad Ryanair was not given the task of planting and harvesting our maize, given the delayed flights we have recently experienced, I know our contractors CCS would have as usual given an efficient service

Mon, 22 Sep, 2025

Bumper crowd at tillage sector crisis meeting sends 'clear message' to minister

Bumper crowd at tillage sector crisis meeting sends 'clear message' to minister

Speaking to the Irish Examiner at the National Ploughing Championships, Bobby Miller from the Irish Grain Growers Group said tillage farmers visiting the organisation's stand were in poor morale

Wed, 17 Sep, 2025

Nitrogen Fertilizer

National Fertiliser Database opens for 2025

Farmers and other fertiliser users and operators can now declare the closing stock of fertiliser held on their farms and premises

Tue, 16 Sep, 2025

Trial results bring promise, but grain prices drag down Darren's returns

Trial results bring promise, but grain prices drag down Darren's returns

Walking the fields, everything looked promising. But once I sat down to do the accounts, it felt like the reward wasn’t there, writes Darren Allen from Ballymaloe Farm

Fri, 12 Sep, 2025

Combine Harvester in Barley Field during Harvest

Agriculture minister to address tillage crisis meeting

Irish Farmers' Association president Francie Gorman said: 'The situation in the tillage sector has reached a crisis point.'

Tue, 02 Sep, 2025

Teagasc Crops Forum set for Naas in September

Teagasc Crops Forum set for Naas in September

The annual Teagasc Crops Forum will take place on Wednesday, September 10, in the Killashee Hotel, Naas, Co Kildare

Thu, 28 Aug, 2025

Corral of Grass fed beef cattle steers at the markets for sale

Cattle output price up 43.6% in June, according to CSO

In the CSO's latest release, it was revealed that cattle experienced the most significant increase in the Agricultural Output Index

Thu, 14 Aug, 2025

combine harvester harvesting cereals, sky with beautiful clouds

Upgrading, outsourcing, or repairing — the combine dilemma for growers

There are few options to purchase modest-sized, good-quality machines, with the availability of second-hand combines from the UK much lower than in previous years

Wed, 13 Aug, 2025

Close up of seedlings in crop field

Catch crop scheme offers up to €229/ha to tillage farmers

The minimum eligible area is 0.5 hectares, while the maximum area for payment is 40 hectares

Wed, 30 Jul, 2025

Tom Barry: ‘Respectable’ harvest won’t make up for lowest grain prices in 40 years

Tom Barry: ‘Respectable’ harvest won’t make up for lowest grain prices in 40 years

Despite favourable conditions, tillage farmers face economic and regulatory headwinds, writes North Cork tillage farmer Tom Barry

Wed, 23 Jul, 2025

Scientists to launch mobile app to detect potato blight at early stages

Scientists to launch mobile app to detect potato blight at early stages

Project aims to develop a mobile phone app that uses artificial intelligence to provide early warnings of diseases in potatoes

Tue, 22 Jul, 2025

AgNav launches tillage enterprise at Oak Park open day

AgNav launches tillage enterprise at Oak Park open day

AgNav supports farmers in identifying mitigation strategies for their farms to deliver on climate action

Fri, 27 Jun, 2025

Ballymaloe Farm hosts ‘Managing Soils to Grow Profit' farm walk

Ballymaloe Farm hosts ‘Managing Soils to Grow Profit' farm walk

A farm walk at Ballymaloe Farm, which was in collaboration with Dairygold Agri Business and Teagasc, saw farmers from across the region attend

Wed, 25 Jun, 2025

close-up hand of person holding coin with soil in hand on soft nature background

Teagasc confirms rebounds in farm incomes for all sectors last year

The average family farm income rose by 87% to just under €36,000 in 2024, with strong improvements in the dairy, tillage and sheep sectors

Wed, 25 Jun, 2025

Teagasc to demonstrate field vegetable crop establishment and band-spraying at Crops Open Day

Teagasc to demonstrate field vegetable crop establishment and band-spraying at Crops Open Day

A live field vegetable crop establishment and band-spraying demonstration will take place at the Teagasc Crops Research Centre in Oak Park on June 25

Thu, 12 Jun, 2025

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