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Tillage Events

Below is information on upcoming and past tillage events.

Upcoming Events

Previous Events

View information on previous events including recordings, presentations and publications

National Tillage Conference 2025

Wednesday, 29 January  |  9am – 4:30pm

Lyrath Conference Centre, Paulstown Road, Kilkenny. 

The annual National Tillage Conference took place on Wednesday, 29 January in the Lyrath Conference Centre, Paulstown Road, Kilkenny. The conference was an in-person event in a new interactive format, providing updates and outputs from the latest research at Oak Park. 

Conference Presentations

Click on the links below to view the presentations

Session One: Supporting Sustainable Crop Production: Carbon, Nitrogen and Crop Establishment Elements

Session Two: Research Snapshots – Supporting added-value opportunities

Session Three: Gauging the potential impacts of pesticide use reduction on crop production

Session Four: Interactive Workshops  

All workshops were repeated 3 times during the afternoon. Click on the links below to find out more about each workshop.

Workshop One – On farm field evaluations to support production

This workshop will build on theme of IPM in morning session and the challenges and opportunities of testing new practises/products on-farm. If you plan to carry out trials, this workshop will provide guidance on approaches that will support strong conclusions by season’s end. Our aim is that you will leave this workshop understanding:

  • What drives variability in trials and how to ensure the best ‘response’ from the treatments you test
  • How to answer questions with a simple trial design that builds up evidence to support your conclusions

Workshop Two – Weed Clinic

This workshop will give an update of grass-weed resistance within the tillage sector and offer an opportunity to discuss current on-farm weed challenges. Our aim is that you will leave this workshop understanding:

  •  How to identify problem weeds
  • What actions can be taken on your farm to control grassweeds in your rotation

Workshop Three – Environmental credentials of tillage sector and role of AgNav

This workshop will highlight the environmental strengths of the tillage sector and discuss how this will play an ever increasing role in the sustainability of the sector going forward. Our aim is that this workshop will provide an opportunity to understand:

  • How AgNav can benefit your farm system going forward
  • The importance of cover cropping and other practises to further enhance sustainability metrics

Workshop Four – Disease control decisions for 2025 and beyond

This workshop will discuss the measures needed to manage disease in wheat and barley this season. Our aim is that you will leave this workshop understanding:

  • The key timings for each crop and why they may differ
  • How to build a fungicide programme to ensure broad spectrum disease control

Crops Forum

The 2024 crops forum took place on September 11

Presentations from the event are available below 

Presentations

Session 1 – Mapping the best varieties for your farm

Chaired by Dr Ewen Mullins, Head of the Teagasc Crop Science Department

Session 2 – Healthy soils for better returns

Chaired by Michael Hennessy, Head of Teagasc Crops Knowledge Transfer

National Tillage Conference 2024

The annual National Tillage Conference took place on Wednesday, 31st January from 9am – 4:15pm in the Lyrath Conference Centre, Paulstown Road, Kilkenny, R95 F685. The conference was an in-person event in a new interactive format, providing updates and outputs from the latest research at Oak Park. 

Conference Overview

In response to the impact of recent weather on winter sowing and the potential effect on seed supplies, there was a specific session on scenario planning for the season ahead, with contributions from farmers, industry and researchers. Research insights updated attendees on the trade-offs of crop establishment strategies, improved diagnostics to support seed health, the growing problem with poppys and building opportunities for oats. 

Aligned with the focus to identify and develop added-value opportunities for the sector, a dedicated session described the exciting potential for domestically sourced cereal to support a strongly branded and now diverse drinks industry. The recent progress in the carbon footprinting of Irish grain was also presented, as well as the continuing developments in the use of plant derived protein in the food industry. 

Interactive Workshops

This year NTC2024 featureed a series of practical, interactive workshops through the afternoon. Attendees had the opportunity to register for up to 3 workshops with each hosting a panel with research, farmer/industry and advisory input. Workshop themes included:

  • Are there synergies for the tillage and dairy sector?  
  • Getting to grips with grassweeds  
  • What do the 2030 Food Vision Tillage Group recommendations mean for the sector? 
  • Disease control decisions for 2024  
  • Getting the most out of your bean crop 

In addition, there was a series of practical demonstration stands in the main foyer throughout the day to provide additional insight across the several aspects of the Teagasc Crops research programme. 

Conference Presentations

Click on the links below to view the presentations

Session I  – Planning for the 2024 season

Results from the Teagasc winter sowing survey with possible scenarios for 2024 planting and consequential impact on rotation. Followed by panel discussion with research, sectoral and farmer input to Q&A from audience.

Winter Planting Survey 
Michael Hennessy (Teagasc)

Replanting Winter Cereal Crops 
Shay Phelan (Teagasc)

Rotations Scenarios for 2024 
Dermot Forristal (Teagasc)

Panelists: Tim O’Donovan (ISTA), Dermot Forristal, Michael Hennessy, Shay Phelan and Tom Shortt

Session II – Research Snapshots I

Session II – Research Snapshots II

Session III – What added value opportunities exist for the tillage sector 

Interactive Workshops  

  • Workshop 1 – Are there synergies for the tillage and dairy sector ?
    • Michael Hennessy (Chair, Teagasc), Laurence Shalloo (Teagasc), David Wall (Teagasc), Tom Barry (Signpost Tillage Farmer).  
  • Workshop 2 – What do the 2030 Food Vision Tillage Group recommendations mean for the sector?
    • John Spink (Chair, Teagasc), Matt Dempsey, Kieran McEvoy (IFA), David Kelly (Macra), Bobby Millar (Farmer)
  • Workshop 3 – Getting to grips with grassweeds
    • Dermot Forristal (Chair, Teagasc); John Mahon (Teagasc), Vijaya Bhaskar (Teagasc), Rob Coleman (Farmer)
  • Workshop 4 – Disease control decisions for 2024
    • Denis Griffin (MC, Teagasc), Steven Kildea (Teagasc), Veronica Nyhan (Teagasc), Mervyn McCann (Farmer)  
  • Workshop 5 – Getting the most out of your bean crop
    • Donal Fitzgerald (Chair, Goldcrop), Ciaran Collins, Sheila Alves, Charles Smyth (Farmer) 

Crops Forum 2023

8 September 2023

The National Crops Forum 2023 took place on Friday, 8 September in the Killashee Hotel, Naas, Co. Kildare, W91 DC98. 

Session One – Planning the season ahead with new varieties, agronomy for 2023 and where integrated pest management is essential for the future

Chaired by Dr Ewen Mullins, Head of Crop Science Department, Teagasc 

Topics and speakers:

  • Varieties for 2023
    DAFM – Cereal variety testing division
  • External IPM works
    IPM Works
  • Agronomy decisions 2023 – how to make the IPM works into practical action
    Shay Phelan, Tillage Specialist, Teagasc
  • Questions and answers session

Session Two – Climate change goals and building carbon stocks on tillage farms

Chaired by Michael Hennessy, Head of Crops Knowledge Transfer, Teagasc 

Topics and speakers:

  • New MACC 2023
    Gary Lanigan, Researcher, Teagasc
  • Signpost Programme
    John Mahon, Teagasc Signpost Tillage Advisor
  • Signpost Programme Participant
    Darren Allen, Cork tillage farmer
  • Questions and answers session

Session 3 – Tillage Forum  

Mapping out a path for the tillage industry for the next 5 years

Speakers Matt Dempsey, Chair of the Food Vision Group, representatives from industry stakeholders including IFA, IGG, IFAC, Teagasc, FTMTA  

2022

  • Teagasc Virtual Tillage Conference 2022
    The 2022 National Tillage Conference took place virtually, split over two days. The first session took place on Thursday, 13 January and the second took place on Thursday, 27 January.
  • Utilisation of Nutrients Webinar 
    On this webinar which took place on Thursday, 20 January, host Shay Phelan, Teagasc Crops Specialist was joined by James McDonnell, Farm Management Specialist; Liam Phelan, AIB; John Carroll, Glanbia; Don Somers, Signpost Programme tillage farmer and his Advisor John Pettit; and Dr Pete Berry, Head of Crop Physiology at ADAS.
  • CAP23 Webinar 
    On this webinar which took place on Thursday, 3 February, host Michael Hennessy, Head of Crops Knowledge Transfer Department, Teagasc was joined by Cormac McGann and Francis Morris, DAFM; Clive Carter, Laois Farmer; and Ciaran Collins, Teagasc Crops Specialist to discuss the new CAP proposals and how tillage farmers will be affected by these changes from 2023.
  • Crops Malting Webinar 
    This webinar was held on Thursday, 10 February as part of the Teagasc Boortmalt Joint Programme on malting barley. Host Michael Hennessy, Head of Crops Knowledge Transfer Department, Teagasc was joined by a panel of guests to discuss high fertiliser prices, Joint Programme/ Boortmalt update and environmental sustainability.

2021

  • Teagasc Crop Agronomy Update Webinars 
    These webinars which took place on Tuesday, 6th April & 4th May, covered the major agronomy decisions needed over the coming weeks in winter and spring crops.  Researchers, Specialists and advisors were on hand to answer questions throughout the webinar.
  • 2021 Tillage Conference 
    The 2021 National Tillage Conference which took place virtually, split over two days, on Wednesday, 3rd & 17th February 2021.
  • Malting Barley Conference 
    Teagasc Malting Barley Conference in conjunction with Boortmalt, which took place virtually on Tuesday, 23rd February 2021.
  • Spring Tillage Webinars 
    Teagasc researchers, specialists and advisors updated growers on crop agronomy for the coming weeks. These webinars took place on Tuesday, 19th January & Thursday, 21st January.
  • Teagasc Seed Potato Webinar 
    The Teagasc Seed Potato Webinar took place on Thursday, 15th April 2021. This webinar outlined the challenges of imports and the best practices to growing more seed potatoes in Ireland.
  • Teagasc Crop Trials Event
    The Teagasc Crop Trials Event took place in Oak Park, Carlow, across two days on Wednesday, 30th June and Thursday, 1st July 2021.  The event consisted of research updates on a range of crops including; spring barley, winter wheat, oilseed rape, rye and beans.