Irish Farmers Journal Weekly Podcast

On this week’s podcast we talk fieldwork and the struggle on farms across the country at present. We chat to fungicide expert Professor Fiona Burnett of the Scottish Rural College on resistance.We also run through feed and grain imports for 2025, look at the paper and have the grain trends and weather reports. The Tillage Podcast is supported by Bayer Crop Science. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Inside the Farmers Journal: Healy-Rae resigns and €100m in fuel supportsOn this week’s show, the team discusses Michael Healy-Rae’s resignation, hears from Minister Martin Heydon on the new €100m fuel package and looks at the lack of engagement with protesters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special podcast from The Irish Farmers Journal, Aidan Brennan is joined by Agri Business Editor Lorcan Roche Kelly for an in-depth look at one of the biggest pressures facing farming today—the global fuel crisis.As energy prices surge, we unpack what’s really driving the spike, from geopolitical tensions to market dynamics, and what it all means on the ground for Irish farmers and contractors. From diesel costs to the ripple effects on fertiliser, feed, and transport, this episode connects the global picture to the reality on Irish farms.Lorcan brings his expertise to break down the latest government supports, explaining new measures aimed at easing the burden of rising diesel prices, and outlining exactly how taxes like excise, carbon tax, and VAT are impacting agricultural fuel costs.We also examine the role of conflict in the Middle East in pushing energy markets higher—and crucially, whether any resolution could lead to meaningful price relief in the months ahead.If you’re trying to make sense of

This week on Inside Dairy, Aidan Brennan and Daire Cregg dig into the key issues shaping dairy farming right now.We start with the weather and its major influence on grass growth across the country—what it means for farm performance in the weeks ahead. Then we break down the latest insights from Ornua’s annual report, including comments from CEO Conor Galvin.Teagasc’s Caitlin Looney joins the show to discuss all things clover, with practical advice on what farmers should be doing at this stage of the season.And in The Breakdown, we tackle a crucial question for spring-calving herds: when is the right time to start the breeding season?All that and more in this week’s episode of Inside Dairy.To hear the full episode of Inside Dairy, subscribe now.Find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or at www.ifj.ie/podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Well-known dairy farmer Katie Gleeson is this week’s guest on the Young Stock Podcast, joining Sarah McIntosh and Martin Merrick. With over 32.3k followers on her Instagram account Katie in the Country, she is well known for promoting agriculture to the general public online. Not originally from a farming background, Katie qualified as a hairdresser and opened her own salon. She married her husband Phil and built a family home on their dairy farm. While raising their three children, Daniel, Faye and Jack, Katie began sharing the realities of farming online because of her love of photography. Since then, Katie has grown a large following and partners with brands and organisations as a farming influencer. She is also a farm ambassador for the National Dairy Council (NDC) and a member of Dairy Women Ireland.Three years ago, Katie went back to college as a mature student and studied agriculture and sustainability at Technological University of the Shannon (TUS), Thurles. Now on profe

This week, Stephen chats to Adam on the protests and a lift in the beef trade, Martin talks about the TAMS budget while Aidan discusses milk price and dairy markets. Siobhán joins us to talk about this year’s Crop Protection Magazine for all the latest in plant protection products. Stephen also caught up with Peter Linden from Grassland AGRO to chat about fertiliser options for grazing and silage ground. Join the Farm Tech Talk communityWe welcome any feedback and questions you have for the Farm Tech Talk team. Please email farmtechtalk@farmersjournal.ie or send a text or voice note to our WhatsApp number 086 836 6465Click here if you would like a weekly email notification when Farm Talk is released https://share-eu1.hsforms.com/1LkIraRklQcK5mClBGXTpFgets9e  Farm Alert is now available for beef and sheep farmers as well as dairy farmers. Manage your herd and flock health with ease by signing up at www.farmalert.ie. To get started, watch our quick guide on how to re

On this week’s podcast we chat through fieldwork and jobs to be done. We take a look at Crop Protection Magazine and have the grain market and weather reports. This week we have an interview with Steve Dennis of BASF on product development and much more. The Tillage Podcast is supported by Bayer Crop Science. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Inside the Farmers Journal: fuel price protests cause chaosOn this week’s show, the team hears from protestors at the fuel price demonstration and discusses the protest.Get in touch with the show by leaving a comment below or email news@farmersjournal.ie Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a week shaped by fuel protests and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, we break down what it all means for Irish dairy farmers — from input costs to global market ripple effects.Back on home soil, we dig into the Dairygold annual report, highlighting the key insights and what they signal for the months ahead.Our featured interview is with Limerick dairy farmer John McNamara, who shares his perspective on meal feeding — what’s working, what’s not, and where farmers should focus.Plus, we tackle one of the big on-farm decisions: heifer breeding — to synch or not? We weigh up the pros and cons to help you decide what’s right for your system. To contact the show, leave a comment below, or email us on insidedairy@farmersjournal.ie To hear the full episode of Inside Dairy, subscribe now.Find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or at www.ifj.ie/podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Young Stock, hosts Daire Cregg and Sarah McIntosh sit down with one of Ireland’s most recognisable and outspoken business figures, Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary. Blending sharp insight with candid conversation, the episode explores the mindset, decisions, and realities behind success across both aviation and agriculture.From the outset, the discussion dives into Michael’s early years, unpacking when his entrepreneurial instincts first took shape. The conversation then shifts to his deep roots in farming, where he explains the thinking behind his move into pedigree breeding and his preference for Angus cattle.Hiring and people management take centre stage as Michael shares why he values employees from farming backgrounds and how that perspective translates into business performance. Looking ahead, the trio tackle big-picture questions around the future of beef farming, including profitability, land consolidation, and whether scaling up is essential for survival in today’s agricultural lan

This week, Stephen chats to Adam on TB changes and the beef trade, Darren talks about nitrates derogation applications and scheme updates while Daire discusses dairy markets and North Cork Creameries. Join the Farm Tech Talk communityWe welcome any feedback and questions you have for the Farm Tech Talk team. Please email farmtechtalk@farmersjournal.ie or send a text or voice note to our WhatsApp number 086 836 6465Click here if you would like a weekly email notification when Farm Talk is released https://share-eu1.hsforms.com/1LkIraRklQcK5mClBGXTpFgets9e  Farm Alert is now available for beef and sheep farmers as well as dairy farmers. Manage your herd and flock health with ease by signing up at www.farmalert.ie. To get started, watch our quick guide on how to register and set up your account https://youtu.be/zZD-8C7X4LgLearn how to build your calendars to receive automated text reminders https://youtube.com/shorts/uPDisMFEY-k Hosted on Acast. See acast.co

On this week’s Tillage Podcast, we chatted to Michael Burke and Conor Condron of J. Grennan and Sons at the company’s HQ in Rath, Co Offaly, on the importance of producing high-quality feed using local ingredients.We toured the mill and talk about an investment of €4m to increase capacity and improve efficiency. We will of course talk fieldwork, fertiliser, look at the paper and have the grain trends and weather reports. The Tillage Podcast is supported by Bayer Crop Science. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s show we take a look at the new TB testing rules coming into force and hear about the pressure facing winter finishers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is a taster of this weeks Inside Dairy, if you would like to subscribe, do so at the link below. This week on Inside Dairy, the Milk League is back!   We take a closer look at the latest developments in European dairy markets and discuss the current situation with grass on farms as the season gets underway. We also feature our interview with Dr. Eva Gocsik, who was speaking at the Bord Bia Dairy Markets Seminar, sharing her insights on the key challenges facing the dairy sector today. Later in the episode, we turn our attention to fertiliser—what’s the plan for your farm over the coming weeks, and what should you be considering to stay on track this spring? To subscribe to Inside Dairy https://ifj.supportingcast.fm/insidedairyAre you receiving our dairy newsletter? If not, join our Inside Dairy community today – link to sign up to receive the dairy newsletter https://share-eu1.hsforms.com/1odLPQ4FsQhm-r0edaOnjsAets9e   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy fo

In the final episode of our new series aimed at secondary school students, experts discuss exam tips and the importance of time managementThe latest instalment of our Growing Minds podcast examines the importance of time management and top tips for students ahead of their exam in June. This episode is in conjunction with the revision supplement published by the Irish Farmers Journal in partnership with IASTA and Agri Aware. In part two of episode four, Roisin Byrne from Agri Aware sits down with Sarah McIntosh to continue their conversation on the importance of exam preparation ahead of the Leaving Certificate ag science exam in June. It is essential for students that they know their timings and practice exam questions as often as they can to ensure they are prepared and confident when sitting their exam. They also discuss tips on time management to help students who are feeling overwhelmed and under pressure. It is a stressful time for students, but having the right resources and knowing what to ex

Hannah Furlong speaks to Joe Gibbons from Ballinasloe, Co Galway who recently won the IPAV Novice Rostrum Auctioneer Competition. Joe talks about his experience working in Ballinasloe mart, the practice that goes into standing up on the rostrum, what it was like to be crowned winner of the novice auctioneer competition and his future hopes for his career in auctioneering. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Stephen is joined by Gary, Adam, Darren, and Aidan to discuss the recent rise in fuel prices and what it means for contractors. Adam covers the EU-Australia Free Trade Agreement, the beef trade and the bluetongue vaccine scheme. Darren investigates how the trade for light cattle is powering ahead despite pressures on beef price, and Aidan has the latest on the proposed Aurivo and Dale Farm merger, now off the table.We also hear from Stephen Carey of Grassland AGRO on maximising production while reducing nitrogen costs.To register for our Beef Markets Event which takes place on Monday 30 March in Abbeyleix Manor Hotel, please fill in this form: https://share-eu1.hsforms.com/1IPlLKS7IQlalWpNjVPXHAgets9ehttps://go.alltech.com/focus-for-100  Join the Farm Tech Talk communityWe welcome any feedback and questions you have for the Farm Tech Talk team. Please email farmtechtalk@farmersjournal.ie or send a text or voice note to our WhatsApp number 086 836 6465Click here if you would

This week’s Tillage Podcast focuses on prioritising jobs in the fields, sowing, markets, the tillage payment and the whiskey technical file. We have a chat with Alister McRobbie of Corteva on herbicides for winter and spring crops and as always, we have the grain trends and weather reports. The Tillage Podcast is supported by Bayer Crop Science. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Bloodlines, Sweat and Tears, the Irish Horse Breeding podcast from Irish Country Living and The Irish Field, host Helen Sharp explores the enduring influence of Thoroughbred blood on Irish sport horse breeding.Long valued for adding stamina, sharpness and athletic refinement, the Thoroughbred has helped shape the success of the modern Irish Sport Horse. But as breeding trends evolve, is that influence changing—and what does it mean for the future?Helen is joined by an expert panel including Dr Alison Corbally, Dr Andrea Ryan, and Chris Ryan of Scarteen House. Together, they discuss the history, practical considerations, and future role of Thoroughbred blood in Irish Sport Horse breeding.A must-listen for breeders, producers and anyone passionate about the evolution of the Irish sport horse, this episode asks a key question: does the next generation still need that famous Thoroughbred edge? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more info

In this week’s episode of Inside the Farmers Journal, host Amy Forde brings you the latest stories shaping Irish agriculture.From rising diesel prices to ongoing developments in CAP reform, Amy breaks down the key headlines from this week’s Irish Farmers Journal. The episode also features updates from the Minister for Agriculture on bluetongue, along with the latest news on TAMS supports.Plus, Amy is joined by Jacqueline Hogge to discuss a powerful and eye-opening exclusive report revealing how some farmers are being forced to sell cattle to repay drug-related debts.A sharp and informative listen covering the issues that matter most to farmers across Ireland. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.