By comparison tillage incomes have declined significantly, but discussion groups could be the answer, it was heard at the National Tillage Crops Conference.
“We know we are going in the wrong direction,” said Phelim McDonald from Teagasc, Carlow. “There is no nuclear button we can press to solve the situation but there are multiple solutions.”
McDonald went on to outline the varying number of challenges and decisions a farmer has to face. The information, he said, “comes from all quarters, some right and some wrong, but there is no filter”.
He added: “We have to try and grab opportunities as they arise, be it fertiliser, plant protection, genetics or communications. The number of markets opening up is phenomenal – there are so many niche markets that we aren’t focused on.”
Discussion group
McDonald made the point that a well-facilitated discussion group can greatly benefit tillage farmers.
“With good facilitation, it makes sense to bring a myriad of challenges together and thrash them out,” he said.
Financial evidence shows that in 2012, tillage farmers participating in discussion groups had significantly higher yields than those who didn’t.
According to McDonald, the problem can be that the early onset of disease is uncontrolled, and farmers worry about leaving the three-week gap between T2 and T3 fungicide application.
“But in a group the farmers hit that earlier,” he said. “Peer-to-peer learning is the best method.”
What works well in groups:
Small projects.Efficiency improvement.On-farm measurements and benchmarking (eProfit Monitor).New or ‘hot’ topics.Demonstration.Visits outside the group.The Department of Agriculture-funded knowledge transfer groups should soon be available, and McDonald believes they “hold great promise”.
“The programme will be useful, practical and implementable,” but in order to benefit, he said, farmers need to “commit to confidentiality, truth and regular participation”.
Mental health awareness
The Bagnelstown tillage discussion group has been running since 1998, and its secretary Gilbert Smyth believes he is “producing better crops” since he joined. But he added: “Unfortunately, I’m not making more money.”
He advocates that discussion groups should operate as members need and should consider discussing mental health awareness.
“So many farmers are working on their own and can get into a bad place due to pressure,” said Smyth. “If we could go home some day and say ‘I saw someone in bother and after getting help for them they are still alive today’, wouldn’t that be truly rewarding?”
Smyth’s benefits of discussion group membership:
Crop production knowledge. Early adoption of more timely field operations.Yield improvements – fellow members debate the ways to improve yields.Reducing costs – there are always opinions among the group on how to save money.An appetite for events or tours – travel broadens the mind. Read more
High yields and cost of production ‘in the hands of the growers’
Black-grass: learning from the mistakes of English grain growers
Thursday grain market update: Russian confusion lags global wheat prices
By comparison tillage incomes have declined significantly, but discussion groups could be the answer, it was heard at the National Tillage Crops Conference.
“We know we are going in the wrong direction,” said Phelim McDonald from Teagasc, Carlow. “There is no nuclear button we can press to solve the situation but there are multiple solutions.”
McDonald went on to outline the varying number of challenges and decisions a farmer has to face. The information, he said, “comes from all quarters, some right and some wrong, but there is no filter”.
He added: “We have to try and grab opportunities as they arise, be it fertiliser, plant protection, genetics or communications. The number of markets opening up is phenomenal – there are so many niche markets that we aren’t focused on.”
Discussion group
McDonald made the point that a well-facilitated discussion group can greatly benefit tillage farmers.
“With good facilitation, it makes sense to bring a myriad of challenges together and thrash them out,” he said.
Financial evidence shows that in 2012, tillage farmers participating in discussion groups had significantly higher yields than those who didn’t.
According to McDonald, the problem can be that the early onset of disease is uncontrolled, and farmers worry about leaving the three-week gap between T2 and T3 fungicide application.
“But in a group the farmers hit that earlier,” he said. “Peer-to-peer learning is the best method.”
What works well in groups:
Small projects.Efficiency improvement.On-farm measurements and benchmarking (eProfit Monitor).New or ‘hot’ topics.Demonstration.Visits outside the group.The Department of Agriculture-funded knowledge transfer groups should soon be available, and McDonald believes they “hold great promise”.
“The programme will be useful, practical and implementable,” but in order to benefit, he said, farmers need to “commit to confidentiality, truth and regular participation”.
Mental health awareness
The Bagnelstown tillage discussion group has been running since 1998, and its secretary Gilbert Smyth believes he is “producing better crops” since he joined. But he added: “Unfortunately, I’m not making more money.”
He advocates that discussion groups should operate as members need and should consider discussing mental health awareness.
“So many farmers are working on their own and can get into a bad place due to pressure,” said Smyth. “If we could go home some day and say ‘I saw someone in bother and after getting help for them they are still alive today’, wouldn’t that be truly rewarding?”
Smyth’s benefits of discussion group membership:
Crop production knowledge. Early adoption of more timely field operations.Yield improvements – fellow members debate the ways to improve yields.Reducing costs – there are always opinions among the group on how to save money.An appetite for events or tours – travel broadens the mind. Read more
High yields and cost of production ‘in the hands of the growers’
Black-grass: learning from the mistakes of English grain growers
Thursday grain market update: Russian confusion lags global wheat prices
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