The year is “ending on a good note with increases in milk prices and good autumn grazing conditions” for dairy farmers, Teagasc director, Professor Frank O’Mara said today (Wednesday, November 27).
Speaking at the Teagasc National Dairy Conference, which is underway at Limerick Racecourse today, Prof. O’Mara also acknowledged that bad weather in the spring which “continued into the summer led to a tough year for grazing and for conserving winter fodder”.
“All in all, 2024 should see a good recovery in dairy farm incomes from the lows of 2023.
“Our economists will present their estimates for 2024 farm incomes next week,” he added.
National Dairy Conference
According to Prof. O’Mara farmers faced a variety of challenges throughout the year.
He told the audience at the National Dairy Conference that farmers had to export slurry, contract rear heifers and “in some cases sell stock to comply with their stocking rates”.
The Teagasc director acknowledged that farmers also had to battle weather pressures with Met Éireann predicting increased frequencies of extreme weather patterns.
But he said that “some good progress” is being made in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agriculture.
“The EPA reported that emissions from agriculture fell by 4.6% in 2023, and that trends in Q1 2024 indicated a further drop of 2.4%.
“It is important to recognise that the actions of farmers have had a big effect.
“Chief among these are the reduction of 30% in chemical nitrogen usage over the last two years and the switch to protected urea, with indications suggesting it made up about 27% of straight nitrogen usage in 2024,” Prof. O’Mara added.
Separately he also pointed to how the Farming for Water EIP (European Innovation Partnership) is “there to improve water quality” and that there are now are initiatives for farmers to get additional slurry storage to improve nutrient quality and to get it out at the right times of the year.
According to the Teagasc director, the latest research indicates that there is a need to increase slurry storage by 20% and soiled water by 30%.
Nitrates derogation
But Prof. O’Mara sounded a warning today that income of dairy farmers is going to be directly hit by the nitrates derogation and that “we need to do everything we can to protect that”.
He detailed that Teagasc continues advise farmers about the use of Clover “to reduce chemical nitrogen without impacting on pasture production.
O’Mara highlighted that clover had been disappointing in the early spring and has struggled to recover throughout the year but it is still a great way of reducing chemical N usage and improving pasture quality and he emphasised the importance of identifying the gaps for further research.
This was backed up by Dr. Patrick Forrestal, Teagasc researcher, today who also said: “Across multiple sites and years, there was no difference in grass yield from using protected urea versus using CAN as the fertiliser nitrogen type.
“However, there tended to be a reduction in grass growth when using standard urea. Protected urea usage on farms reduces greenhouse gas emissions compared to CAN, and ammonia emissions compared to standard urea.”
Prof. O’Mara also outlined that “spreading calibration” is an important aspect and that Teagasc will publish regular updates for farmers on how to calibrate their spreading before going out with bags of fertiliser.
One other key issue which he touched on at today’s conference was around generational renewal and said “it is seen as not as fulfilling for young farmers coming in”.
However Prof. O’Mara was upbeat about prospects.
“Dairy farming is facing challenges but it is still the highest income per ha and we have a globally competitive productive model,” he said.