The Farmers Journal team of farmer writes journalists from Ireland, New Zealand, the UK and beyond are dedicated to providing local farming news, comment and opinion across the dairy, beef & tillage sectors.

LATEST ARTICLES
News
Farmer Writes: no shortage of jobs to be done
Karen McCabe
We have a policy of keeping cattle which are easily handled and not prone to getting excitable.
1 February 2023 Farmer Writes
Farmer Writes: a man of straw
It seems there’s poor organisation in straw deliveries, and farmers are often left with bales carried over until the following year.
31 January 2023 Farmer Writes
Farmer Writes: soil sampling, even more important than ever
Many farmers may not be aware of the new nitrates and slurry rules included in the nitrate action programme 2022-2025, James Strain writes.
Farmer Writes: labour a challenge as calves hit the ground
We have continued to get some grass into the milking cows most days since calving, and with the mild weather we are leaving the main herd out most nights as well.
25 January 2023 Farmer Writes
Farmer Writes: competition for consensus
A tongue twister of a question put to Tommy Moyles over the Christmas break got him thinking about how difficult it has become to reach consensus among farmers.
25 January 2023 Farmer Writes
Farmer Writes: suckler farmers can't be scapegoat for emissions issues
With new technology, surely it’s possible to lower our emissions without having to resort to forcing farmers to make tough decisions.
18 January 2023 Farmer Writes
Farmer Writes: challenging the plant based brigade
Derek Robinson thought he could reason with his son’s friends, who follow a plant-based diet.
18 January 2023 Northern Ireland
Farmer Writes: old order has changed, it's now all about the environment
Five tonnes per acre of golden wheat, after a full pesticide programme, piling into the grain tank on an abnormally hot harvest day still excites me.
18 January 2023 Farmer Writes
Farmer Writes: a little false economy
Waterlogged fields, fast filling slurry tanks and pneumonia are among some of the challenges the New Year has brought, writes James Strain.
17 January 2023 Farmer Writes
Farmer Writes: 10% of the herd calved
There seems to be solid demand for early calves this year again, despite the costs of milk replacer and concentrates.
11 January 2023 Farmer Writes
Farmer Writes: Getting used to two CAPs
There's a pair of new CAPs for farmers to deal with and one seems to have more detail than the other for now, according to Tommy Moyles.
11 January 2023 Farmer Writes
Young farmers can drive the industry on
NI agriculture faces a period of consolidation, but long-term, there are reasons to be optimistic, writes Robert McConaghy.
11 January 2023 Northern Ireland