The poor spring weather was a key topic on the latest Tillage Edge podcast when Michael Hennessy chatted to both Don Somers, a farmer from Wexford, who is also participating in the Signpost Programme, and John Mahon, his Tillage Signpost advisor.   

Don said he was forced to make major changes to his cropping plans this spring.  Although these changes could affect the rotation on the farm over the next few years, Don is already planning on replacement crops to minimise disruption.

John Mahon, who is Don’s Tillage Signpost advisor, said that even though Don had reduced his bean area, resulting in increased chemical nitrogen purchases, he has mitigated this by being able to reduce the overall nitrogen input to his oilseed rape crops.

For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to:
 https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/
                   
 Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

Weed control is as important as ever in spring cereals and Ciaran Collins and Shay Phelan, both Tillage specialists in Teagasc, along with Vijaya Bhaskar, a weed researcher in Teagasc, are on this week’s Tillage Edge podcast to chat about the best strategies for weed control in spring cereals.  

Shay explains that good control is possible with lower rates but the weeds must be small and the herbicide applied in good growing conditions.

Ciaran talks about the importance of wild oat control and how this can be timed correctly but he cautions about targeting canary grass too early.  

Vijaya Bhaskar talks about herbicide resistant testing and he also encourages farmers to send samples to be tested for free.  

The following contains instructions on how and when to collect samples:

https://bit.ly/3MrlcgR

For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to:
https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/
                  
 Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

With a substantial amount of BISS applications still to be submitted, there is growing pressure on all advisors to ensure farmer consultations are efficient so that all applications can be completed on time.  

John Brophy, a Teagasc Advisor in Naas, is on this week’s Tillage Edge podcast to chat through the major areas where a farmer can complete some pre-work before visiting their advisor.

John says that, at a minimum, farmers should write down the crops sown in each field.  The farmer should have decided what fields ACRES measures, such as min till or cover crops, and also if straw chopping will be completed in this year.  

John also encourages growers to have the measurements of field sub-divisions to ensure this is reflected accurately in the online maps.

For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to:
https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/
                 
Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

Late planted spring crops are at a higher risk of BYDV infection this year, as Dr. Louise McNamara, an entomologist in Oak Park Teagasc, explains on this week’s Tillage Edge podcast.

To reduce this risk, she says, target an aphicide application at growth stage 14.

Aphid numbers are coming off a low base after the winter and aphids need 170 degree days for population numbers to double.  A well timed aphid application will be sufficient to reduce BYDV significantly but this will not completely eliminate symptoms in the field.

For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to:
https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/
                
Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

Planting of spring crops continues at pace but there is still a substantial amount of planting to be completed especially in the north east of the country.  

Ciaran Collins and Shay Phelan, both Tillage Specialists in Teagasc, join Michael Hennessy on the latest Tillage Edge podcast with pointers as to where crops are not planted yet and also actions needed in winter crops. 

Both specialists emphasised the variation in crops growth and the need for farmers to walk their crops regularly.

Ciaran said that even though it is late for spring cereals, switching to maize or beet should be considered very carefully as both have very high costs of establishment, dictating the need to have a definite market outlet for the crop at harvest. 

For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to:
https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/
               
Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

On this week’s Tillage Edge podcast, Irishman Jim McCarthy, who manages a large tract of land in northern Romania, talks to Michael Hennessy about spring plantings, costs of inputs, machinery capacity and why many countries have banned the imports of Ukrainian grain.  

Jim says that due to recent rainfall, the farm is behind in the planting of 12,000 hectares of spring crops, though the recent wet weather has recharged soil moisture reserves which will help to drive yields this year.

Jim explains how he is trying to preserve crop financial margins by delaying fertiliser purchases as long as he can and holding off buying plant protection products, however he points to his low machinery costs of €100/ha being of real benefit in a year like this.

For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to:
https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/
              
Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

All tillage farmers have a long list of crop management tasks which needs to be completed as soon as possible and on this week’s Tillage Edge podcast, Ciaran Collins and Shay Phelan, both Tillage Specialists in Teagasc, chat through the critical tasks which need addressing on tillage farms.  

Both specialists emphasise the variation in crops’ growth and the need for farmers to walk their crops regularly.

Shay emphasised the need to adjust seeding rates of spring barleys to compensate for lower tillering capacity of crops to ensure high yield, while Ciaran says farmers should choose fields carefully, avoiding light soils, if they intend to plant any beans from now on. 

For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to:
https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/
             
Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

Andy Mahon, a Dubliner and farm manager of a large farm in the UK, joins Michael Hennessy on the latest Tillage Edge podcast to talk about the UK’s agriculture policy and the frustration it is causing to all farmers.  

Andy explains how the UK policy is centred on environmental policy rather than food production. 

Furthermore, the income supports provided by the Basic Payment schemes have halved and are due to be eliminated altogether by 2028, though some of these payments can be recouped by environmental payments.  

Andy says that many of the environmental options were poorly paid but given his farm establishment system and structure, it is reasonably well placed to maximise these payments. 

For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to:
https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/
            
Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

In the final episode of the four-part series on the potential of protein crops, this week’s Tillage Edge podcast looks at how a new European project Valpro Path can help develop new supply chains for protein crops.  

Professor Milena Corredig, Head of Food Design, Aarhus University, Denmark, explains how the societal shift to plant proteins is growing with consumers now looking for simple and sustainable foods which have less impact on the environment.

Dr Ewen Mullins, Head of Research, Oak Park, Carlow, discusses the project and how it aims to link growers, processors and manufacturers of food with improved protein supply chains where the value of the protein crop is increased for farmers.

For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to:
 https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/
           
 Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

All tillage farmers can make small changes to reduce the farms environmental impact and on this week’s Tillage Edge podcast, Darren Allen, a farmer from Ballymaloe Farm, Co. Cork, talks about the steps he has taken over the past few years to improve his farm’s efficiency and also improving the environmental credentials on the farm.   

He explains how the farm’s rotation has adjusted to improve yields but he has still seen benefits in soil health along the way.

Ciara O’Donovan, a Teagasc tillage advisor in Cork, and also Darren’s advisor, was also on the podcast and spoke very highly about the strides Darren has made in improving water quality, space for nature areas on the farm and also efficiency of nutrient use on the farm.   

For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to:
https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/
          
Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com