This week on Farmland, Agriland journalist Megan O’Brien discusses the outbreak of avian influenza (bird flu) in Ireland following confirmation of two separate cases in the past week, and hears about the success of this year’s maize harvest.

In the programme, which will go live at 7:00p.m today (Tuesday, October 25), Teagasc’s poultry advisor Rebecca Tierney outlines the symptoms of bird flu and the culling measures that must be taken when an outbreak occurs.

She outlines what she has been hearing from farmers on the ground who are worried about losing their flock to the disease, considering the porous border between Ireland and the UK in the north.

She also states what compensations are available from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) for those who do suffer losses due to bird flu.

Additionally, as all poultry owners are currently required to maintain biosecurity measures, Tierney outlines what exactly these actions are and explains how effective they can be in preventing transmission.

Later in Farmland

Later in this week’s episode of Farmland, John Foley from seed, herbicide and film supplier Maizetech, joins O’Brien to talk about all things maize.

He discusses the success of this year’s maize harvest, which began earlier than usual due to the dry weather experienced during the summer months.

He also outlines the challenges that maize growers faced over the course of the season, particularly in later months as contracting costs increased due to the rising price of fuel.

Foley speaks about how helpful the government’s Tillage Incentive Scheme was for growers and offers advice on ensiling the crop for use as fodder on farms this coming winter.

Finally, as the tillage sector, among others, looks to become more sustainable, Foley shares his experiences with the biodegradable films that must now be used over maize crops, as a result of the EU Directive on Single Use Plastics.

This week’s episode of Farmland will go live on the Agriland platform at 7:00p.m (Tuesday, October 25).

All episodes can be streamed via the award-winning digital platform agriland.ie, and links to the programme will also be available across Agriland social media platforms.

All episodes of Farmland can be viewed by clicking here. The Farmland podcast is also available to download or stream on SpotifyApple, or wherever you listen to podcasts.