As 2018 draws to a close, it is good to reflect on a difficult year for many farmers and see what lessons can be learned. It is often said there […]
News
The Ploughing is a phenomenal success story but has it outgrown its roots? (Independent)
As if we needed any reminding that 2018 will certainly be remembered as a year where the weather caused havoc at the National Ploughing Championships, leading to the belated closure […]
The banks and accountants are the real digital dinosaurs in our farming sector (Independent)
Today's farmers have a vast amount of information at their fingertips to assist them in the running of their farm businesses. Are farmers using this information well or are they […]
Our most successful farmers don't wallow but see opportunity in crisis (Independent)
The are many different types of people in the world today. In fact, we are groomed from the day we are born to be the person we grow into being […]
Analysis: Key factors in how much to pay for a land lease in today's market
The land letting market has started with gusto for 2018, as dairy, beef, sheep and tillage farmers eagerly await newspaper adverts from local auctioneers to see what's coming up for […]
How a pre-nup agreement can save the farm
Case study... Jack and Aoife are engaged to be married next autumn. Jack (35) has just taken over the family 100-acre dairy farm and farm house from his parents. Aoife […]
The days when dairy farmers could call on a hidden workforce are well and truly gone
Food Wise 2025 maps out a 10-year vision for the Irish agri-food industry. The report identifies key areas such as sustainability, human capital, competitiveness, market development and innovation to drive […]
Brexit analysis will turn to paralysis if we fail to refocus our agricultural policies
Irish Agriculture has many great attributes: the love of the land, a warm, temperate climate, traceable food, biosecurity as an island nation, and of course natural grass-based livestock production. However, […]
Cut costs by going back to basics on soil fertility
Following four simple steps will ensure a good supply of top-quality grass. Farming has become a very technical profession, and it is very easy for farmers to be blinded by […]
Analysis: Banks should remember that very few farmers went wild during the boom
Irish farmers have an interesting relationship with bank debt. The average debt level of approximately €28,000 per farm is one of the lowest debt levels amongst developed agricultural nations, yet […]
Why big is not always beautiful for the 300-cow man
The average dairy farmer in Ireland today milks a herd of 80 cows. However, there are a handful of dairy farmers who have now broken the 1,000-cow barrier. Is this […]
Analysis: We need to find a clearly defined role for part-time farmers
There are approximately 139,000 farmers in the Republic of Ireland. However, over 50pc farm on a part-time basis - that is either the farmer or spouse work off-farm to supplement […]
10 steps to making an extra €1,000 a week from dairying
The top 20pc of dairy farmers earn an average of €57,000 per annum more than the bottom 20pc - our reporter investigates how to bridge the dairying income divide. […]
Analysis: Is animal welfare in Irish dairying really as good as we think it is?
What type of dairy production systems will there be in the future? I have just returned from the first meeting of a focus group, assembled by the European Innovation Partnership, […]
GLAS 3 SCHEME
THE CLOSING DATE FOR GLAS 3 IS DECEMBER 15TH Call 021 45 45 120 to discuss your options. More information can be found here
Don't be a slave to short-term highs and lows in farming
What is a fashion trend? With clothes, images of perfect models strutting the catwalks of Milan or Paris displaying the latest styles flood into our minds. In sport, the blanket […]
EU dairy reduction scheme makes little sense for most Irish farmers.
Who would have believed just 520 days after the removal of milk quotas the EU would introduce a scheme to pay dairy farmers to reduce their milk supply? Farmers have […]
There would be no farmers if we faced what UK counterparts are threatened with.
British farmers are facing an uncertain future in the wake of the Brexit vote, with some already expressing regret due to fears that farm subsidies will be much lower than […]
Average herd size set to reach 100 cows by 2018
Ireland has always been a significant player in the world dairy scene. In 1769, the Cork Committee of Merchants set up the Cork Butter Market, it flourished in the 18th […]
Pride and populism leaves British agriculture floundering in post-Brexit era
Author: Michael Brady In 2005 I attended a UK Nuffield Farming Scholar event at The Farmers Club in Whitehall, the political heart of London. The after-dinner speech was given by […]
Take a deep breath and stop stressing about your finances
Farmers throughout the country are currently asking lots of questions about banks. In recent months media coverage of loan sales, tactics by some sub-prime lenders and high profile repossessions have […]
It's not all about the money when you hang up your farm boots
Finding a lessee who pays on time and takes good care of the land you have spent years nurturing cannot be underestimated. Irish farmers find it incredibly difficult to let […]
Dairy sector needs a new vision
Author: Michael Brady Irish dairy farmers have hit the ground running since the abolition of milk quotas in April 2015. Milk production for the 2015 calendar year was up 13.4pc […]
Land - To buy or not to buy?
Land is an obsession in Ireland, perfectly characterised by the Bull McCabe in John B. Keane’s play ‘The Field’. The Bull’s sole focus in life was buying the field he […]
Rollout of Direct Payments and Schemes- Time for a New Approach
The spring months of 2015 will live long in the memory of agricultural consultants/advisors due to the deadlines for submitting applications for the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) 2015 and the […]
Grow more Grass
Brady Group are advising you to take soil samples as P, K, and Lime levels have depleted in certain areas. Contact us if you require any assistance.
Your Farm Your Business Conference
Simon Coveney Minister for Agriculture Food and the Marine with Michael Brady President of the Agricultural Consultants Association speakers at the Your Farm Your Business Conference at Carrigaline
Farmer confidence waned bit by bit
Farmer confidence waned bit by bit as each sodden month of 2012 slipped by. The seemingly never-ending winter that followed resulted in a huge shortage of animal feed all over […]
Food exports surge a sign of things to come
Irish food exports continue to reach new record highs according to the State's food agency, Bord Bia. Despite breaching the €9bn barrier for the first time last year, early data […]