The Tillage Edge

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 suppo

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

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 adv

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 Tillag

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 E

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 g

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 bel

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 envi

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 mor

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 ro