Teagasc Announce Major Farming IT Event

Mr. Liam Aylward MEP will officially open the Teagasc Farming IT Event at Kildalton College, Piltown, Co. Kilkenny on Thursday 14 July, 2005 from 2.00 p.m. - 9.00 p.m.

Speaking at the launch of this major event, Dr. Tom Kelly, Head, Teagasc Farm Management and Technology Services, said, “that the purpose of this Exhibition is to inform farmers and their families on the latest information technology in farming”. Dr. Kelly said, “The use of computer technology is becoming more and more important in farming. This Information Technology Event, will allow farmers and their families assess for themselves what is useful and how they can get access to information and communication technology for their own farm business”.

Continuing Dr. Kelly said, “The computer can communicate to other computers through e-mail and internet. This sharing of information is another reason why every farmer should consider getting a farm computer. However, getting a computer and using it are two different things. 40% of farm households have a computer, but, only a small percentage use them to any great extent for farm purposes”.

The Teagasc Farming IT Event will give farmers practical demonstrations as to how they can get value from their computer. It consists of a programme of short presentations from exhibitors at the event. These will highlight the practical use of computers, such as, ordering goods on line, pricing inputs and machinery, checking recommendations, doing calculations, registering calves on-line, taxing your car. “The list is endless”, said Tom Kelly.

Computer use in farm machinery can achieve more accurate spreading of fertiliser, yield mapping of crops and reductions in fuel consumption. In addition some of the success stories in relation to Broadband in rural areas will be featured.

“The use of computers to store and share information has huge potential. For example the development of the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) programme is a huge step forward where information from the CMMS, AI Centres, milk recording, marts and slaughter houses are now combined to improve cattle breeding information for farmers. The same information comes back as management reports to help farm management by identifying mortality, fertility performance and lifetime performance for individual animals and gives comparisons between farmers”, said Dr. Kelly.

In inviting all farmers and their families to this unique IT Event Tom Kelly concluded, “I urge farmers to come to Kildalton College and see for themselves the uses and future potential of Information Technology on farms”.

Note for Editors: W hat’s On Show

Featured at the event will be web based services which farmers can access directly or through their advisers from Teagasc including:-

e-Profit Monitor- Assess your farm profitability each year
Dairy Herd Monitor– monitor your herd performance throughout the year
Cost Control Planner– Record your financial performance against your budget
Ration Recknor– Make up your own rations and diets for cows and cattle, based on the new energy system
Monitor Crops– Follow a crop throughout the season and compare to your own growth stages, plant protection programme, cost and performance.
Tillage Crop Reports– Time critical detailed advice throughout the growing season for all tillage crops.
Food Assurance on-line– Detailed information and training modules on food production standards for farmers
i-Map– Detailed field by field mapping, nationwide linked to LPIS.
Farm Building Design– Detailed drawings of standard new farm building options, including winter housing and outdoor pads, milking parlours, dairies, silage pits, outdoor lagoons and handling facilities all available through local advisers.
e-College– The new training option for young farmers which complements existing training with alternative delivery options.
Department of Agriculture– Demonstration of the new Animal Identification and Movement system
Revenue– Revenue on Line services for farmers
ICBF– Information of their web access for farmers, new milk recording options
Rural Broadband options –The Raheen experience with the Connected Communities programme
GPS– Guidance systems for machinery, soil sampling and paddock measurement
Glanbia –Agri-link, trading, milk and grain account information

Ends

Issued by

Larry O’Loughlin, A/Head, Public Relations Department, Teagasc

Tel. 059 9183408; Mob. 087 2562434; Email: loloughlin@hq.teagasc