National Potato Conference

The National Potato Conference 2026 will take place on Tuesday, 17 November at 9am in the City North Hotel, Gormanston, Co. Meath, K32 W562. Organised by the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) in association with Teagasc and Bord Bia, the conference theme is ‘Building a Resilient Potato Sector’.

This year’s conference will focus on emerging trends in the potato sector while also looking at our customers in the future. We will have presentations from farmers and growers who reinvented their businesses to take advantage of growing trends in their sectors. While in the afternoon we will look at the role of irrigation in years to come while we will also look at varieties and alternative that can work alongside Rooster.

Click here to register for the conference

Conference fees:

• IFA and/or Teagasc Members: €50.00
• General Admission: €60

Conference Agenda

9am
Registration & Tea/Coffee

10am
Opening address
Professor Frank O’Mara, Teagasc Director
Francie Gorman, Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) President

10:30am
Session 1

Chaired by Jason O’Leary, Chair of IFA Potato Committee

Market Analysis – long term view and look at consumer trends
Kantar

Who is our consumer?
Michal Slawski, Bord Bia

Season 2026 impact in Europe & what does this mean for the future?
Europatat

GIY – who, what, why
Mick Kelly, GIY

Diversification at grower level
Con Trass, The Apple Farm and IFA

Panel discussion

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

Panellists include:

• Con Trass, The Apple Farm and IFA
• Michal Slawski, Bord Bia
• Mick Kelly, GIY
• Europatat representative

12:30pm – 2pm
Lunch

2pm
Session 2

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

Session introduction – Horticulture Report and the impact of irrigation
Dermot Callaghan,  (10 Mins)

Breakout sessions

Breakout session 1

• Irrigation for the future
  Gavin Prentice, SRUC
• Licencing for water extraction
  EPA representative

Breakout session 2

• Varieties for the future
  Teagasc representative
• Growing alternative markets
  Tom Murray, O’Shea Farms

4pm
Trade show

5pm
Conference close