International Panel for National Tillage Conference
Issued 21st January 2002
A panel of international experts will address the Teagasc National Tillage Conference in the Dolmen Hotel, Carlow on Wednesday, 30 January. The conference, which has become the biggest annual indoor event for the Irish tillage sector, will feature the latest information on production and marketing of cereals.
Announcing details, Dr Jimmy Burke, Head of the Teagasc Tillage Research Centre at Oak Park, Carlow said the conference is taking place against the background of a good year in 2001 where yields and quality were good despite difficult conditions for sowing winter cereals in the autumn of 2000. The current year has started well with excellent sowing conditions last autumn resulting in a substantial increase in winter cereals.
Dr Burke said the conference will outline the latest technology in cultivation, fertilisation and disease control.
- Teagasc machinery expert Dermot Forristal will give the up to date position on Ecotillage, where reduced cultivation systems can cut crop establishment costs and increase work rate by 40%
- The cost effectiveness of new chemicals for disease control, available for the first time this year, will be outlined by Brendan Dunne of Teagasc Oak Park
- With new regulations on water quality in prospect, experts from the Teagasc research centre at Johnstown Castle will present new fertiliser recommendations for tillage crops and their environmental implications. A leading British tillage farmer will give his experience on the UK initiative of linking environment and tillage farming
- Ciaran Carvill, a German based grain trader, will examine the prospects for grain prices worldwide and will pinpoint the affect of grain assurance and traceability on future returns from tillage farming
- Jim Crowley of Teagasc Oak Park will advise on the opportunities to expand the Irish crop range through growing more protein crops
Finally, Teagasc's Chief Tillage Adviser, Jim O'Mahony will present critical performance targets for the major crops in 2002 and will highlight the key factors in maximising farmer and national income from tillage.
The conference runs from 10.00am to 4.30pm
For the full conference programme, click here.
