The Food Vision tillage group is currently being established and will no doubt meet in the near future.

One thing that should be top of the agenda is working to increase co-operation between the livestock and the tillage sectors.

Importing organic manures from livestock farms to tillage farms can have a positive impact on water quality, as slurry is not going out on the same patch of land all of the time.

It could also help to free up land which is currently in demand from dairy farmers due to changes to nitrates rules.

These rules are currently resulting in some land leaving the tillage sector.

Signpost crop walk

With that in mind, it might be a good idea for farmers, advisers and policy makers to consider going to a crop walk, which the Signpost programme is hosting on Tuesday 4 April entitled 'Using organic manures on crops'.

The walk will be held on the farm of Tom Barry near Killavullen, Co Cork (P51 T1DD).

Tom has long been an importer of organic manures on to his farm and uses these manures efficiently to reduce the use of artificial fertiliser on farm.

Teagasc advisers and specialists will demonstrate how to test the dry matter percentage of slurry on farms, talk about spreading using an umbilical system and will show attendees some of the storage facilities for organic manures on the farm.

The crop walk will start at 10.30am.