More research is needed into the feeding value of Irish grain and protein, according to Conor Condron of J Grennan and Sons.

Grennans uses 100% Irish wheat, barley, oats, rye and beans to produce animal feed at its mill in Rath, Co Offaly, and this is something it is proud to say, Condron told a meeting of the Irish Grain Growers group (IGGG) in Tullamore last Friday 12 December.

As thousands of tonnes of oats and beans lie unused in stores across the country, Condron said the company has doubled the amount of oats going through its feed mill and increased the inclusion of Irish beans by 50% in recent years. He said he would like to see more research into the feed value of Irish grain, commenting that when Grennans put beans in rations “we’re getting a much better response than the paper values will tell us”. He also said the true feed value of oats needs to be examined and the perception of oats needs to change.

Condron added Grennans is proud to use Irish and buy grain back from farmers who buy inputs to grow those crops, but aside from this he said that Irish grain can be traced throughout the whole supply chain and the company sees the use of Irish grain as a competitive advantage.

He noted that some merchants are actively promoting Irish grain, like the 75% Irish ration launched by Stradbally Town and Country this winter.

However, Condron did comment that there are mills across the country not using any Irish grain and Grennans must compete with those mills.

Similar comments were made by Liffey Mills managing director Pat Ryan at the Irish Tillage and Land Use Society’s (ITLUS) winter conference.

Liffey Mills uses all Irish wheat, barley, oats and rye, and buys 70% of that grain at harvest. He commented that “there is a competitive pressure from mills that don’t use native grain”.

He also said that the feed customer has little interest in where their feed comes from, adding that the agricultural industry needs to push for a bonus payment to be created by meat factories and dairy processors for farmers feeding Irish ration, to create demand and a premium for Irish grain.