Chemicals
Amy Forde on 18 Jun 2021
Farmers need to be at centre of biodiversity strategy - Markey
Last week MEPs adopted the resolution “EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030: Bringing nature back into our lives” with 515 votes to 90 and 86 abstentions.
Kieran Sullivan on 09 Jun 2021
Farmer Writes: conventional prices and organic principles
I have great respect for any farm that is organically certified, but I am more interested in reducing bought-in chemicals than gaining a label, writes Kieran Sullivan.
Gerald Potterton on 26 May 2021
Farmer Writes: humiliating to fold up booms in a downpour
You no longer need to listen to the early radio forecast or even watch the sky - it's all on your phone, writes Gerald Potterton.
Kieran Mailey on 04 May 2021
Time to spray weeds in silage swards
With silage ground closed up, now is a good time to target weeds such as docks or thistles before grass covers get too strong.
Darren Carty on 02 May 2021
Time to tackle grassland weeds at the optimum growth stage
In a year like we are currently experiencing, with lower than normal grass growth rates, there is a greater risk of weeds establishing or gaining a greater foothold in the sward.
Aidan Brennan on 26 Apr 2021
Clover-safe spray gets emergency approval
Clovermax has received emergency approval for a three-month period only, Aidan Brennan reports.
Andy Doyle on 11 Apr 2021
Products going and coming in 2021
This year’s crop protection season will be marked by the loss of many older actives, some of which ae mentioned here, and the arrival of one new and important fungicide, writes Andy Doyle.
Andy Doyle on 08 Apr 2021
Farm to Fork sets the tone for the coming decades
The loss of yet more actives and the introduction of the Farm to Fork strategy sets the tone for EU policy evolution and pesticide use for the decades ahead.
Gerald Potterton on 17 Feb 2021
Farmer Writes: regenerative farming and planting trees
Regenerative farming on the cover of the Irish Dairy Farmer magazine caught Gerald Potterton's eye this week.
Stephen Robb on 14 Feb 2021
European Commission considering the use of caffeine as an insecticide
The European Food Safety Authority is reviewing an application to allow caffeine to be used as an insecticide and molluscicide.
Stephen Robb on 04 Feb 2021
Engineers turn plants into bio-sensors to detect chemicals in groundwater
A ground breaking new technology could be about to revolutionise how we understand and use plants
Aidan Brennan on 06 Jan 2021
Painting parlours: what are the options?
Aidan Brennan runs through some of the measures required for successfully painting milking parlours during the dry period.
Contributor on 06 Jan 2021
The hidden dangers of farm chemicals
Each year an average of 20 people, including parents, teenagers and toddlers die on Irish farms. What about the accidents and serious injuries which never make the statistics? Máiréad Ní Chiarba asks
Stephen Robb on 26 Dec 2020
Tricking potato cyst nematode with trap crops
Stephen Robb reports on an innovative farm trial taking place in the UK to tackle potato cyst nematodes (PCN)
Amy Forde on 27 Nov 2020
Measures under new €5m farm safety scheme revealed
Farmers who have suffered life-changing injuries as a result of farm incidents can avail of new equipment under a new farm safety scheme.
Peter Thomas Keaveney on 18 Nov 2020
Best practice for washing and housing your kit
With the poor weather halting field work, its time to turn the focus to washing kit and tucking it away for the off-season. Peter Thomas Keaveney and Gary Abbott look at best practise.
Niall Hurson on 20 Oct 2020
Department announces €8m for bioeconomy research
A total of seven Irish research-performing organisations will benefit from the awards announced on Tuesday.
Niall Hurson on 30 Sep 2020
Rise in pesticide problems linked to non-farming use
Irish Water has noted a higher level of water quality issues that it is linking to amateur users of pesticides.
Darren Carty on 30 Sep 2020
Farmers will be asked to do more for climate and biodiversity
Sheep farmers already have good levels of biodiversity but to secure future environmental-related payments farmers will need to show continuous improvement.
Niall Hurson on 23 Sep 2020
Sinn Féin raises Mercosur concerns with Minister
Sinn Féin has said it will continue to seek a commitment from government that it will not support the deal.