Three systems, one goal: reducing costs in a €200/t grain market

With fuel prices soaring, Darren Allen of Ballymaloe Farm sees opportunities for regenerative farming methods to pay their way

Darren Allen: 'All tillage farmers have to critically look at all costs to grow their crops in present times, where grain prices remain relatively low at about €200/t while growing costs continue to creep upwards.' Picture: Chani Anderson

In my last article in early February, I mentioned I established my winter wheat last autumn by three different methods: direct drilled, minimum tillage and conventional plough and one-pass. 

My motivation for trying this again this year remains the same — that all tillage farmers have to critically look at all costs to grow their crops in present times, where grain prices remain relatively low at about €200/t while growing costs continue to creep upwards, and that’s before we ever had the recent crisis of hugely inflated fertiliser and diesel prices due to the war in Iran.