Sylvester Phelan

Sylvester Phelan Profile Picture

News Journalist

Sylvester Phelan holds a Masters of Science degree in Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development from UCD as well as an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in English and history (also from UCD), and the Green Cert. He is from a dairy farm in Co. Laois, where he works on the weekends.

‘Loan scheme shows banks are out of touch’

Agri-Business

‘Loan scheme shows banks are out of touch’

The uptake of the Agriculture Cash-flow Support Loan Scheme shows that Irish financial institutions are out of sync with the...
‘Cattle trade buoyed by factory and exporter demand’

Beef

‘Cattle trade buoyed by factory and exporter demand’

The cattle trade is currently buoyant with strong demand from factories and live exporters, according to the IFA’s National Livestock...
Get your Teagasc college course application in soon…

Rural Life

Get your Teagasc college course application in soon…

Friday, May 26, is the deadline for agriculture college full-time course applications, according to Tony Pettit, Head of Education in Teagasc....
UCC to host all-island agri-food summit

Agri-Business

UCC to host all-island agri-food summit

An all-island agri-food summit will take place on University College Cork (UCC) campus on Wednesday and Thursday, May 17 and...
Over 3,000 farmers still waiting on GLAS payments

CAP / Schemes

Over 3,000 farmers still waiting on GLAS payments

It has been confirmed that over 3,000 farmers are yet to be paid their GLAS payments for 2016, following a...
Kerry announces good growth for first quarter of 2017

Agri-Business

Kerry announces good growth for first quarter of 2017

The Kerry Group is showing a 3.8% growth in business volumes, according to an interim statement for the first quarter of...
Dairygold to hold farm safety information day in Mallow

Rural Life

Dairygold to hold farm safety information day in Mallow

Dairygold, in conjunction with Teagasc, is set to host a farm safety information day at Mallow Racecourse. In response to the...
Best-practice tips for beef and sheep farmers – for May

N.Ireland

Best-practice tips for beef and sheep farmers – for May

Best-practice guidelines for beef and sheep farmers during the month of May have been released by the Department of Agriculture,...
Healy: Retail imbalance resulting in €11bn cost for EU farming

Agri Politics

Healy: Retail imbalance resulting in €11bn cost for EU farming

IFA President Joe Healy has claimed that unfair trading practices (UTPs) by retailers are costing farmers and agricultural co-ops around Europe...
When is the best time to cut your silage?

Dairy

When is the best time to cut your silage?

The Department of Agriculture, Enterprise and Rural Affairs (DAERA), in Northern Ireland, has issued best-practice guidelines for dairy farmers during the month of...
Fresh probe into Silvermines cattle poisoning saga

Agri-Business

Fresh probe into Silvermines cattle poisoning saga

RTE’s radio show Morning Ireland featured a report today on a recent development in Co. Tipperary, whereby three cows were...
Good prices and a strong trade at Dungannon dairy sale

Dairy

Good prices and a strong trade at Dungannon dairy sale

The seventh Dungannon Dairy Sale, hosted by Taaffe Auctions, took place on Thursday, April 20. The sale, which took place...
Map: Less than 50 farms make up 45% of Irish pig population

Pig/Poultry

Map: Less than 50 farms make up 45% of Irish pig population

According to the latest pig survey completed by the Department of Agriculture, 45% of total pig production in Ireland is...
Scottish farm incomes take a hit of almost 50%

Agri Politics

Scottish farm incomes take a hit of almost 50%

Scottish farm incomes took 48% of a hit in the space of one year, according to UK-based publication Farmers Guardian....
Stolen tractor and loader recovered in the midlands

Rural Life

Stolen tractor and loader recovered in the midlands

The tractor that was stolen in the midlands on Thursday night has been recovered. The robbery took place last Thursday...
Sencrop: French firm develops localised weather ‘platform’ for farmers

Tillage

Sencrop: French firm develops localised weather ‘platform’ for farmers

French company Sencrop has developed a real-time weather platform, designed specifically for farming – to assist in decision-making on tillage...
IFA receives assurance from Department over BPS

CAP / Schemes

IFA receives assurance from Department over BPS

The IFA has been given an assurance from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine that blockages to Basic Payment Scheme...
Seven-layer silage sheets: Just how far must you go for your silage?

Grass

Seven-layer silage sheets: Just how far must you go for your silage?

Plastic sheeting brand Visqueen recently ‘rolled out’ its newest development in its silage cover range – in the form of ‘seven-layer technology’...