This year’s Irish Grassland Association Dairy Conference takes place on Wednesday, 20 July, 2022, at the Talbot Hotel, Clonmel. It’s themed around getting the basics right to fulfil potential – “Controlling the Controllables”.
The conference will start off with a focus on the tools that dairy farmers can use to manage risks and opportunities in their businesses. The organiser’s explanation: “There is a lot in the world now that is out of our control. However, there are key elements within our own farm gates that we can control as farmers. This session will look at what we can do in our businesses to reduce these uncertainties.”
Professor Brendan Horan will outline the ways farmers can maximise nitrogen use efficiency. An important factor in view of current record fertiliser prices, and the need to reduce the quantity of chemical nitrogen applied, and to improve water quality.
Mary Kinston will look at the financial reality on farms where record milk prices have been accompanied by record input prices. She plans to use data from her discussion groups to give a current state of play on farms mid-way through 2022.
Dairy farmer Bobby Hovenden will discuss the decisions he made on his farm to create a more sustainable business from both farm profitability and lifestyle perspectives.
Meanwhile, Teagasc, will cover environmental challenges facing the industry in the years ahead. Head of Animal and Grassland Research, Professor Laurence Shalloo will also outline his vision for the Irish dairy.
The final session will examine how the pandemic has changed the way many people view their work-life balance.