Ireland
January 23, 2008
A leading panel of expert speakers
from Teagasc and the UK will address the
Teagasc National Tillage
Conference in the Dolmen Hotel, Carlow on Wednesday next, 30
January 2008. The conference, which is the largest annual indoor
event for the Irish tillage sector, will feature the latest
information on production and marketing of cereals.
This year’s conference follows a good production year in the
tillage sector where crop yields and quality were very good
despite real difficulties encountered during the growing season,
especially at harvest time.
Announcing details of the conference, Prof Jimmy Burke, Head of
Teagasc Crops Research Centre, Oak Park, Carlow, said: “The
tillage sector has entered a new era with higher returns and new
opportunities opening up at home and abroad for the grain and
oilseed sector. After a prolonged period of uncertainty tillage
farmers are now well placed to make commercial decisions based
on the realities of the marketplace.”
Against this background the topics which will be covered at this
year’s conference will help tillage farmers and those in the
industry to carefully assess the implications of recent global
developments on the sector in the year ahead, as well as dealing
with new research developments.
“We must keep focused on improving competitiveness while also
responding to the new opportunities that are beginning to emerge
for the sector,” said Jimmy Burke.
Teagasc researchers, Dermot Forristal, Richie Hackett and
Brendan Dunne, will present the results of Oak Park’s crops
research programme on reducing costs and maximising profit on
tillage farms. The future profitability of tillage in the new
pricing scenario will be dealt with by Teagasc tillage
specialists Tim O’ Donovan and Michael Hennessy who will examine
what action tillage farmers should take.
Jon Duffy from Frontier Agriculture UK will discuss the issue of
food, fuel and volatility on the world grain markets as well as
dealing with the impact of the bioethanol market on the grain
sector. Ronan Hughes from R&H Hall will deal with current and
future developments in feed grain markets in Ireland and outline
the future prospects for grain demand in the years ahead.
Teagasc tillage programme manager, Jim O’Mahony, will profile
new developments in the advisory service including the major
emphasis now being placed on financial management. Details of
the new Teagasc business and technology service for farmers will
be outlined along with a vision for the tillage sector.
Teagasc National Tillage Conference
Wednesday, 30 January
Dolmen Hotel
Carlow
Registration: 9.30am |
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