Crops forum: New CAP, environment and the threat of aphids

Changes lie ahead for all sectors of agriculture. This year’s National Crops Forum held by Teagasc will focus on challenges that may lie ahead for tillage farmers.

The threat of aphid resistance is even more prominent this autumn as Redigo Deter is no longer in use. This will be one of the first issues tackled at the forum.

Steve Foster from Rothamsted Research Centre in the UK will give the view from across the water on this topic, while Ciarán Collins from Teagasc will discuss control options at home.

Winter cereal varieties for autumn 2019 will also be detailed in the first session of the conference by John Joe Byrne from the Department of Agriculture.

Commenting on the event, Michael Hennessey – the head of crops knowledge transfer at Teagasc – stated: “It is clear from this year’s trials that variety selection is becoming even more important now as we are facing the loss of some key fungicides and loss of efficacy of many of the remaining fungicides.

“The Department of Agriculture will outline the latest results from the variety trials and hopefully give growers a steer as to which one may be most suitable on their farm.”

CAP 2020

The second session of the conference will focus on CAP 2020 and beyond. Speakers from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine will discuss the major changes that Ireland can expect, while also looking at some of the environmental proposals which may affect tillage farmers under the policy.

Catherine Keena – a country management specialist with Teagasc – will speak on enhancing environment habitats on tillage farms.

Designing an Ireland-specific scheme

Finally, the event will finish with a panel discussion based on “designing an Ireland-specific scheme”. James O’Reilly – a farmer from Co. Kilkenny – will sit alongside Catherine Keena and James McDonnell from Teagasc, as well as employees of the Department of Agriculture.

Michael Hennessey added that the event is open to everyone.

“There is a long way to go in finalising the new (CAP) rules, but we hope the forum will give you some indication of how these may affect you in the future.