The Tillage Edge

The dry conditions over the past 10 days - and with no rain in the forecast - means that spring crops in particular, are coming under pressure.    John Pettit, a Teagasc tillage advisor in Wexford, and Ciaran Collins, a Teagasc tillage specialist, join the Tillage Edge this week to discuss the key agronomy actions needed over the next week to 10 days.   Both John and Ciaran acknowledge the impact...

The coming weeks are critical for controlling foliar diseases in cereal crops and Dr Stephen Kildea, researcher at Teagasc Oak Park, joins the Tillage Edge this week to discuss the best disease management strategies for the weather conditions expected in May 2025.      Stephen highlights the increased yellow rust pressure in some crops. “The main fungicide timings should be adequate to control thi...

Ciaran Collins and Shay Phelan, both tillage specialists with Teagasc, join the Tillage Edge this week to discuss the key actions needed in crops over the next 7 to 10 days.   We also hear from Andy Mahon, a Dubliner and farm manager in the UK, who shares his experience of the 2025 season so far.    Andy highlights the stark realities facing UK farmers following the loss of direct payments and ref...

The plough remains the most widely used crop establishment system in Ireland, but alternative methods can be just as effective under the right conditions.    In this Tillage Edge episode, the first of two parts, Michael Hennessy is joined by Dermot Forristal, a Crops and Machinery Researcher at Teagasc Oak Park, to explore the history and evolution of cultivation systems in Irish tillage farming....

The on-again, off-again tariffs being proposed by the US may have significant implications for Irish tillage farmers in the months and years ahead.     For this episode of The Tillage Edge, Michael Hennessy is joined by Professor Michael Wallace, economist of agriculture and food in UCD, to discuss the potential effects of these global trade developments on the Irish tillage sector.   Professor Wa...

With crop inputs being applied weekly, farmers and agronomists face constant decisions around product choice, application timing, and overall strategy.    For this episode of The Tillage Edge, Denis Dunne, Trials Manager at Seedtech, joins us to discuss how he uses the Teagasc Crop Report as a vital tool — not just for daily agronomy decisions, but also to inform strategies for weed and disease co...

Crops are growing rapidly, and careful management is essential to prevent lodging before harvest.    For this week’s Tillage Edge, Michael Hennessy is joined by Dr. Richie Hackett from Teagasc Oak Park to discuss strategies for reducing lodging risk and the best use of plant growth regulators (PGRs).   Richie explains that high nitrogen rates and fertile fields are most vulnerable to lodging, and...

With the weather allowing farmers to plant crops and treat winter crops in ideal conditions, the only concern is the harsh wind which was slowing growth.    For this episode of The Tillage Edge, Michael Hennessy is joined by Teagasc tillage specialists, Shay Phelan and Ciaran Collins, to discuss how crops are progressing and the key management steps needed in the next couple of weeks.   Shay highl...

We explore the benefits of using pig slurry as an alternative to chemical fertilisers in tillage farming on the latest Tillage Edge podcast.    Michael McKeon, Teagasc pig specialist, and Ciaran Collins, Teagasc tillage specialist, discuss how to target the use of pig slurry on tillage farms.    We cover best practices for application, nutrient replacement, transport logistics, and regulatory cons...

On-farm experimentation or trials come naturally to some farmers, while others see them as a hassle or someone else’s responsibility.    On this week’s Tillage Edge, Jack Jameson, a Teagasc researcher, and John Pettit, a Teagasc tillage adviser working in the southeast, discuss how farmers can set up their own on-farm trials and maximise the benefits for their efforts.   John points out that when...

This week on the Tillage Edge, we catch up with John Crowley, a Signpost tillage farmer from Wexford, to discuss his farming system.    Located in the heart of malting barley country, John is dedicated to producing high-spec malting barley each year.    Despite transitioning to a min-till establishment system and incorporating organic manures, he has successfully maintained the quality and consist...

When the rubber hits the road, that’s when the action happens - and when tyres hit the soil, that’s when compaction may become a serious issue.    For this week’s Tillage Edge podcast, Dermot Forristal, a machinery researcher from Teagasc Oak Park, discusses the evolution of tractor tyres and how they impact traction, load capacity, and soil compaction.   Dermot explains how the mix of machinery s...

With spring just around the corner and crop growth set to take off shortly, Ciaran Collins, a Tillage Specialist with Teagasc, and John Pettit, Teagasc Tillage Enterprise Advisor in Wexford, join this week’s Tillage Edge to discuss crop inputs for the coming weeks.     In particular, we focus on nitrogen application for oilseed rape and winter cereals.  John emphasises that there’s no rush to appl...

Jim McCarthy, who manages a large farming operation in Romania, shares his insights into the challenges of 2024 when extreme heat devastated yields across the country.   He discusses how his no-till system has been of huge benefit for his farm and explores diversification options, including forestry, that he has pursued in recent years.       Also, don’t miss our series of Winter Crop Workshops in...

The environmental credentials of the tillage sector were discussed at this year’s National Tillage Conference and on this week’s Tillage Edge, we chat with Dr. Bridget Lynch, a researcher at Teagasc, Johnstown Castle, about cover crops and their positive impact on water quality.    We also speak with Dr. Giulia Bondi, another researcher at Johnstown Castle, who discusses carbon levels in tillage s...

One of the standout topics at this year's National Tillage Conference was on pesticide reduction and the role of Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Presenters Meghan England and Robert McDougall, both researchers at Teagasc, join this week’s Tillage Edge podcast to share their insights.   Meghan conducted an extensive review of scientific papers and concluded that the evidence supporting pesticide...

One of the highlights of the Irish tillage calendar is the Teagasc National Tillage Conference, a must-attend event to hear about the latest research and advancements in the field.    For this week’s Tillage Edge, Dr. Ewen Mullins, Head of Crop Science at Teagasc, gives a preview of what to expect this year.     You must register for the National Tillage conference in advance and can do so here: h...

For the final part of our four-part series on farm succession, we chat to Ruth Fennell, a Collaborative Farm Specialist with Teagasc.    Ruth discusses Farm Partnerships and how these can be used to bring in the next generation to the farm structure, develop their skills, gradually devolve responsibility and also facilitate the transfer of the farm.     Ruth also talks about the tax advantages and...

For the third episode in our four-part series on farm succession planning, James McDonnell, a financial specialist with Teagasc, takes a closer look at the key steps to successful implementation and revisiting a succession plan.     James also touches upon how to bring professional services together to develop a robust succession plan.   For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podc...

For the second of the four-part series on farm succession ,we re-join James McDonnell, a financial specialist with Teagasc, to take a closer look at the various tax implications when planning for the farm transfer.    James talks about the tax exposure where the succession is not well planned and how to all but eliminate this cost.   For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast...

In this first episode of a four-part series on The Tillage Edge, we explore how families can best plan for succession on the farm.    James McDonnell, a financial specialist with Teagasc, discusses the key aspects of family farm succession and for part one, we focus on how to begin the succession journey, starting with family communication and the types of support available to help get the process...

Teagasc Economist, Dr. Fiona Thorne, discusses the key findings from the recent Teagasc Outlook 2025 conference on this week’s Tillage Edge.    Tillage farm incomes are expected to rebound after the tough year of 2023, with estimates showing a 40% increase in 2024 and further gains in 2025.    However, Fiona highlights the importance of context, emphasising that incomes are still below the five-ye...

For this week’s Tillage Edge, we rejoin Tom Barry, a tillage farmer from North Cork sharing how he's implementing sustainable farming practices using organic manures and reducing fertiliser use to enhancing biodiversity. On this episode, Tom explains more about the rotation on his farm and we’re also joined by Teagasc Signpost advisor, John Mahon, to get an insight into the environmental profile o...

Tom Barry, a tillage farmer from North Cork, who has recently been recognised with multiple environmental awards, joins The Tillage Edge for a two-part series sharing how he's implementing sustainable farming practices from using organic manures and reducing fertiliser use to enhancing biodiversity.  Plus he discusses the impact of these actions on his farm’s productivity.   For more episodes and...

A year ago, many farmers faced significant challenges due to the unusually wet weather, which disrupted their crop rotations.    For this week’s Tillage Edge, John Pettit, a Teagasc tillage advisor from South Wexford, shares his insights into how farmers are adapting their crop rotations to suit both their land and the local markets.   John explains that there may be more than one rotation on a fa...