Rainfall

As you travel the roads there are a lot of crops with water lying on top of the ground. Rainfall levels so far for January have been mixed across the country. Met Éireann data showed just 10.1mm of rain at Dublin Airport up to 10 January. In Johnstown Castle that figure was 47.7mm, and at Cork Airport it was 50.2mm. There may be opportunities to get some jobs done in places, like tidying up hedges, but in general keep away from soil until land has dried out. It’s early in the year and driving on land now could do serious harm.

December also saw heavy rainfall across the country, so there is a lot of drying to be done before any cultivations or spraying is carried out.

Glyphosate

A job that will have to be done on many farms when land dries out is the application of glyphosate. Remember that land which was not cultivated for the winter, and was kept as over-winter stubble for birds under nitrates rules cannot receive a herbicide until 1 February. If the weather was good, this land could have been cultivated. This has been allowed since 1 December. Green cover on land that was cultivated or planted with a cover crop can receive glyphosate.

Seed

Many farmers didn’t get their intended winter cereal area planted, so demand for seed for spring crops will be high. Look at your crop plan for the year ahead and calculate the area of the different crops which you plan to sow. The recommended lists are yet to be released for the year ahead, but plan your crops. If you have an idea of the variety you wish to sow you can get your order in with your local merchant.

Fertiliser prices

Fertiliser prices were withdrawn in some places over the past week, but you need to have your fertiliser needs calculated. Some farmers have a significant amount of fertiliser purchased. Whether you have some or none bought you should get a plan in place for what you need to purchase, particularly compound and early nitrogen for winter cereals.

CAP Information meetings

The Irish Farmers Journal is continuing its CAP Information meetings. Next week Ballina is the venue on 17 January and then we’ll be in the Mullingar Park Hotel on 31 January. Both start at 7.30pm and are free to attend.

Have your say on pesticides

Remember to make a submission to the Department of Agriculture’s consultation on the new Sustainable Use of Pesticides Regulations. The closing date for submissions is 20 January and submissions can be sent via email with the subject line “SUR Proposal” to surconsultation@agriculture.gov.ie.

The current proposals suggest that pesticides be banned in sensitive areas, which the Republic of Ireland is classified as for nitrates. It also suggests that pesticides should be prescribed by independent advisers, of which we have very few in this country.