Well-known Teagasc dairy specialist George Ramsbottom is hanging up the clusters, The Dealer hears. The Laois native is enlisting for service in the climate change campaign and takes over as Teagasc’s Advisory Programme development manager.

Ramsbottom will head up the agency’s Signpost advisory team, which is tasked with promoting farmer adoption of protected urea, low-emissions slurry spreading and better-breeding in both the beef and dairy herds – as well as all other climate-friendly management practices. The new role will certainly be a busy one, given the focus on the farm sector’s ambitious climate targets.

Getting his former dairy disciples to buy into the protected-urea gospel could be Ramsbottom’s greatest challenge.