Annual Report 2007 and Financial Statements

Highlights 2007

Teagasc has reorganised and invested to position itself to provide the best services to the agriculture and food industries into the future. The organisation continues to underpin the development of a competitive, innovative and consumer focused agriculture sector.

Advisory Service Launch

The new Teagasc advisory service, which was rolled out across the country after launch at the National Ploughing Championships, concentrates on four programme areas - Business and Technology, Good Farm Practice, Rural Development and Adult Training. The Business and Technology Programme will deliver cutting-edge technology to commercial farmers.

Pat Boyle, head of Teagasc advisory service, said: "We received a very positive response to the new Teagasc advisory service ‘For Better Farming’ from our customers it is clear that there is confidence in the dairy and tillage sectors, but both the beef and sheep sectors face significant challenges. Our new service, with greater emphasis on the Business and Technology Programme, is tailored to help our clients meet these challenges."

European Association of Animal Production visit Grange

The European Association of Animal Production (EAAP) visited Teagasc Beef Research Centre at Grange on 29 August.

The visit took place after the group’s 58th annual meeting held in Dublin. Some 80 scientists were given an outline of the research programme at the centre.

Staff updated the world-renowned scientists on quality beef production, beef carcass assessment, suckler and dairy calf-to-beef systems, residual feed intake, beef index validation studies, forage conservation, grassland, animal welfare and health, labour use, and animal accommodation and slurry treatment.

New Director

The Teagasc Authority appointed Professor Gerry Boyle as the new Director of Teagasc in August. The Authority approved the appointment, with the consent of the then Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Mary Coughlan TD.

Professor Boyle has been an international consultant on agricultural policy with the World Bank, has worked on projects in Eastern Europe and Central Asia and took over from the Acting Director Tom Kirley, on 1 October, 2007. Professor Boyle is Emeritus Professor of Economics at the National University of Ireland and was head of the Economics Department at NUI Maynooth until June 2006. He was subsequently a senior associate at Farrell Grant Sparks Consulting Ltd.

Moorepark Open Day

Occasional showers failed to dampen the enthusiasm of the 10,000 visitors to the Moorepark open day in June. Steps to improve profit and further increase the competitiveness of Irish milk production through innovation, productivity gain and increased scale were outlined by Teagasc research and advisory staff.

"A successful dairy farm must marry the objectives of profitability, a good lifestyle and the opportunity for personal development for all participants," concluded Dr Pat Dillon, Teagasc head of Dairy Production Research.

Education

2007 saw a 25% increase in enrolments in colleges, a welcome reversal of recent trends. Further training programmes were delivered at eight colleges and at a number of local centres in agriculture, horticulture, horse breeding and training and forestry. Specialised Advanced Courses were also provided in Dairy Herd Management, Machinery and Crop Management, Drystock Management and Agricultural Mechanisation. A total of 531 students enrolled in 2007 in further training programmes in colleges while the total overall number participating in these programmes was 3,384.