Advisory, Education and Opportunities
The economic performance and the role for diversification on cattle farms in Ireland
Farm incomes are generally low on cattle farms in Ireland with farm subsidies accounting for the majority of farm income. Cattle farmers have contended with several economic challenges in recent years, with some welcome respite in margins in 2025. In this paper, Teagasc National Farm Survey (NFS) data is used to describe recent trends in […]
1 July 2026
Teagasc Grange Anaerobic Digestion Programme
Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a biological process conducted in a sealed vessel in the absence of oxygen. This process involves the fermentation of organic matter resulting in the production of biogas and digestate. There are four steps in the AD process: i) break-down of the organic material into soluble compounds (sugars, fats, proteins); ii) fermentation […]
1 July 2026
Organic beef farming systems research: first insights from the Teagasc National Farm Survey
Organic farming has become increasingly important within Irish and European agricultural policy as governments seek to address challenges relating to climate change, biodiversity loss, input price volatility and the long-term sustainability of food production systems. Under the EU Farm to Fork Strategy, a target has been established for 25% of European agricultural land to be […]
1 July 2026
Organic beef cattle research update
Introduction The Climate Action Plan (2024) has set ambitious targets to increase land farmed according to organic standards from the current area of 225,000 ha (5% of total farmed area) to 450,000 ha (10%) by 2030. The largest organic sector in Ireland is beef cattle production. There are an estimated 40,000 organically-farmed suckler cows in […]
1 July 2026
Farming for the next generation
Generational renewal in farming is generally understood to mean younger farmers taking over from the older generation in running and owning farms (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine – DAFM, 2025).2 It should be seen as a process rather than a single event and it has been described in the literature as a “ladder […]
1 July 2026
Education pathways for agriculture and the land-based Sector: Teagasc options for school leavers, adult learners and career changers
Teagasc is the primary provider of accredited further (vocational) education for the agricultural and land-based sectors. Teagasc has a major input into higher education and postgraduate education delivery through its extensive partnerships. Teagasc introduced four new apprenticeship programmes for the land-based sector in 2023 and welcomes applications for apprenticeships due to start in September 2026. […]
1 July 2026
Teagasc land-based apprenticeships: earn while you learn
As land-based industries navigate current and future sustainability challenges and regulations, it is essential that operators and managers are highly skilled. The Irish land-based sector is reliant on skilled farmers and operatives who can cope with such challenges as well as managing day-to-day productions task, work with people and meet business objectives. The next generation […]
1 July 2026
Staying safe on a beef farm
High standards of safety, health and welfare can greatly support the creation of a safe working environment. Farmer health and farm safety are closely linked. Physical health, stress and mental health, fatigue, burnout and sleep problems can impact farmer wellbeing and increase the risk of a farm accident. Protecting your health and wellbeing, knowing your […]
1 July 2026