The Tillage Edge

Brendan Burke, Farm Manager of the Teagasc Oak Park research farm in Carlow, joins Michael Hennessy to review the season to date.  They discuss how weather conditions have influenced crop growth and yields on the research farm and how these challenges mirror those experienced by tillage farmers across the country.  Brendan shares insights into the performance of crops this year, key management dec...

As soon as cereal planting is completed, attention turns to protecting crops and laying the foundations for strong weed control.  On this episode of the Tillage Edge podcast, Teagasc Crop Specialists, Ciaran Collins and Shay Phelan, discuss the critical role of pre-emergence herbicides in managing both grass and broadleaf weeds. Shay highlights that research consistently shows pre-emergence herbic...

Farm succession is one of the most important conversations any farm family will have, yet it is often one of the most difficult to start.  On this week’s Tillage Edge podcast, Michael Hennessy is joined by James McDonnell, Teagasc Farm Management Specialist, to discuss the key steps involved in transferring the family farm to the next generation.  James outlines how families can begin the successi...

We rely on our soils more than any other resource to deliver crop performance and farm profitability year after year. Just like machinery, soils require regular attention and maintenance to perform at their best. This week on the Tillage Edge podcast, Veronica Nyhan, Soil and Plant Specialist with Teagasc, and Ewen Johnstown, owner of South East Sampling Services, discuss the importance of soil sa...

Lillian O’Sullivan, a Soil Researcher with Teagasc, joins the Tillage Edge podcast to discuss the new Soil Monitoring Law being introduced across Europe and what it means for tillage farmers. Lillian explains that the legislation will allow individual countries to develop targets that reflect their own soil conditions, with the coming years focused on establishing national baselines and monitoring...

The Teagasc Crops Forum took place last week, bringing together a range of informative presentations focused on the latest developments in tillage production.  We feature two of those talks on this week’s Tillage Edge with Shay Phelan, Tillage Specialist with Teagasc, discussing how growers can adjust crop rotations to improve profitability and resilience. We also hear from Louise McNamara, a Teag...

The Teagasc Crops Forum took place this week featuring a range of informative presentations focused on the latest developments in tillage production.  For this week’s Tillage Edge, we hear from two of those presenters. Cara Mac Aodháin from the Department of Agriculture's Cereal Variety Testing Division discusses the latest additions and changes to the Recommended Lists and what they mean for grow...

Everyone in the industry is asking how tillage can remain competitive into the future. Poor yields are often blamed on the weather, but other factors such as rotations, soil management, and fertiliser can play a big role. Shay Phelan and Ciaran Collins, Teagasc tillage specialists, join the show to discuss the upcoming Teagasc National Crops Forum and the practical steps farmers can take to protec...

The harvest of combinable crops is almost complete and for this episode of The Tillage Edge, Michael Hennessy speaks with Tillage Signpost farmers Tom Tierney (Kildare), Don Somers (Wexford) and Tom Barry (Cork) about their 2026 harvests.  Don was somewhat disappointed by yields but emphasises that a diverse crop rotation helps reduce risk.  Tom Barry reported good yields, which he attributes to h...

Oilseed rape has been a strong performer on Irish farms thanks to consistent yields, high prices and potential for lower production costs.   Eoin Lyons, Teagasc advisor, Laois, and Ciarán Collins, Teagasc tillage specialist, join the Tillage Edge podcast to discuss rotational slots, varieties, establishment and early management of oilseed rape.   Eoin stresses the importance of avoiding sowing int...

Drone technology is becoming more accessible and increasingly useful on tillage farms and on this episode of The Tillage Edge, Michael Hennessy speaks with Daniel O'Reilly of Aerial Ag Ireland about a large agricultural drone used to apply cover‑crop seed into a standing spring barley crop. Daniel explains how the system works, why it’s well suited to in‑crop application, and how a machine that ca...

With more than half the harvest completed overall (and some areas more than 80% finished), Teagasc advisors, Michael McCarthy (Cork), Mark Trimble (Kilkenny) and John Brophy (Naas) join the podcast to discuss harvest results in their regions. Yields are mixed — most cereal grain has been disappointing, although oilseed rape performed well across the board. As Michael McCarthy noted, “Once again oi...

Reducing the seed burden in the soil is key to lowering weed pressure in subsequent growing crops and for this week’s Tillage Edge, Dr Vijaya Bhaskar, a weed researcher at Teagasc Oak Park, joins the podcast to discuss what farmers can do in the coming weeks to tackle weeds.  He also reviews new research on brome dormancy and the implications for this year’s stubble cultivation. For more episodes...

With the harvest well underway and the continued good weather, farms are proceeding without a hitch.  Shay Phelan and Ciaran Collins, Tillage Specialists with Teagasc, join this week's Tillage Edge podcast to discuss harvest yields so far and to consider possible reasons for the results. Both Ciaran and Shay agree winter barley yields are disappointing and pinpoint the factors behind higher yields...

Eddie Casey spoke to Michael Hennessy at the recent Johnstown Castle Research Centre Open Day to talk about Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) and why it’s important for farmers to understand their soils and the actions they can take to influence CEC and nutrient retention.    Eddie explains what CEC is, how it affects a soil’s ability to hold and supply nutrients, and where soils with higher and lowe...

Purchased seed is a foundational part of crop production each year and for this week’s Tillage Edge, Michael Hennessy caught up with Jim Cunningham, Seed Plant Manager at Goldcrop’s production facility in Dunleer, Co Louth to chat about how he and his team maintain seed quality and varietal purity from intake through processing, storage and dispatch to growers for the following season.   For more...

At the recent Johnstown Castle Research Centre Open Day, Michael Hennessy caught up with Dr. Fiona Brennan, a Teagasc Senior Researcher in Soil Microbiology, to talk about soil health and how tillage farmers can keep their soils in top condition.    Fiona outlines the key parameters that affect soil health—structure, organic matter, biology, nutrient balance and drainage—and highlights practical s...

New varieties help maintain or increase on-farm yields and Michael Hennessy caught up with John Dunne, Trials Manager at Goldcrop, after their Dunleer open day to discuss the latest varieties coming through the system.   John covers developments in resistance to yellow rust in winter wheat and the near‑standard BYDV tolerance now seen in winter barleys, and explains what those changes mean for gro...

Getting an international perspective can help put current grain-market conditions into context — and for this episode of The Tillage Edge, Brian Caldbeck, an Irish grower who runs Rubisco Seeds in Kentucky, USA, joins the show to discuss what he’s seeing across the U.S. crop landscape.   Locally in Kentucky wheat yields are good, but recent rains may have created quality concerns, while further we...

Don Somers, a tillage farmer from Wexford, and the overall winner of the Environmental Sustainability award in 2025, joins The Tillage Edge, along with John Mahon, his Signpost Farm advisor, to preview the open evening at Don’s farm on June 17th.   The event is targeted at farmers, non-farmers and young people to showcase sustainable practices on tillage farms.     Don is particularly keen to show...

Dubliner Andy Mahon, who is farm manager of the Bromborough Estate in Northamptonshire, UK, discusses crop conditions, how the business is coping with the difficult weather, grass-weed pressure and recent changes to farm support.   Andy also outlines his blackgrass strategy — from planning and growing crops in fields with low blackgrass population, to targeted herbicide use and post-emergence cont...

North Kildare farmer, Phillip Harris, and Teagasc advisor, John Brophy, discuss crop progress and management challenges on this week’s Tillage Edge.    Phillip describes the adjustments he’s made since changing to strip till establishment, plus a strict containment plan for grass weeds involving crop burn off, fallow and rigorous hand rouging.  Phillip recommends herbicide testing for resistance i...

We re-join the conversation with Jim McCarthy, who farms an extensive holding in north-eastern Romania, as Jim walks us through recent changes on the farm, most notably his move away from the big-name manufacturers toward more affordable South American machinery to reduce costs.   He also discusses the wider crisis facing Romanian agriculture after three severe droughts: bankruptcies among local s...

Michael McCarthy, a Teagasc tillage advisor, and Tom Barry, a farmer near Mallow, Cork, discuss how crops in their area are progressing.    This spring brought three distinct planting windows and Michael is concerned about the later two as emergence is only ok and there is visible damage on the headlands, so those fields will need close monitoring.   Tom reports his winter crops are looking well a...

Jim McCarthy, who is farming a large tract of land in Romania, joins this week’s Tillage Edge to talk about the progress on his farm over the past few months.   Jim talks about the changes in establishment system and how this is helping maintain yields by trapping more moisture and allowing him to reduce fertiliser inputs.   However, Jim remains cautious about the outlook for prices and expresses...