The Teagasc National Dairy Conference 2025 takes place on Wednesday 26 November in the Talbot Hotel Clonmel, County Tipperary and Thursday, 27th November in the Kilmore Hotel, Cavan.

The theme of this year’s conference is Pathways to Progress. This year has been positive for dairy farming, with strong prices for milk and livestock, and of course good weather and grass growth for the most part. However, the last couple of months have seen a significant downturn in milk prices which will impact dairy farms through the winter and into next spring. This sharpens the focus on the need for good technical performance and cost control.

Commenting on the conference lineup, Dr. Joe Patton, Head of Teagasc Dairy Knowledge Transfer said: “Our conference will hear updates on markets and policy issues and will also showcase practical aspects of dairy management with leading farmers, researchers and advisors.

“Chris Walkland, renowned milk market analyst, will present on the international milk market situation, while Tony and Stephen Kenny and Oisin Gallen will share their approaches to dealing with the situation on the ground.

“These sessions will be complemented by short practical papers in the afternoon. A highlight of this year’s programme is a keynote from Professor Donagh Berry, Teagasc and VistaMilk, on 25 years of progress in EBI (Economic Breeding Index).”

For more insights as to what to expect at the Teagasc National Dairy Conference, view the below video:

Policy changes and new models of dairy farming

Donal Mullane, Teagasc Regional Advisory Manager Tipperary said: “There are very important policy challenges facing dairy farmers in the short and medium term, from nitrates to generational renewal. We are pleased to welcome Minister Martin Heydon and Teagasc Director Professor Frank O’Mara to the conference to address these issues. We welcome all dairy farmers and the wider industry stakeholders to attend.”

Tom Kelleher, Teagasc Regional Advisory Manager Cavan, commented: “As always, the event is a great chance to share conversations with dairy farming colleagues from different parts of the country. The conference sessions on new models for dairy farming will be a very interesting topic in both Clonmel and Cavan. It is very much a farmer focussed programme, so we encourage attendance as a family, or as part of your discussion group.”

To see the full Teagasc Dairy Conference Programme and booking details, visit here.