The Teagasc Authority has today (Tuesday, July 19) approved the appointment of Thomas Curran as the new head of the Teagasc Advisory Service.
Curran will lead the Teagasc Advisory Service, which is delivered to farmers nationwide by a team of agricultural advisors, managed through a network of over 50 Teagasc offices across 12 advisory regions.
The advisory service is part of the Knowledge Transfer Directorate headed up by Dr. Stan Lalor.
Head of advisory service
Thomas Curran is an agricultural scientist who graduated from University College Dublin (UCD) with a Bachelor of Agricultural Science degree.
He went on to complete his research Masters in Agricultural Science, also at UCD. He has completed a Leadership Development Programme with the Irish Management Institute, and has also completed a Management Development Programme.
Curran is currently regional advisory manager in Teagasc Cork West, a position he has held since 2019. Prior to that, he was a collaborative farming specialist for six years.
During that time he led the development and promotion of collaborative farming business structures including farm partnerships; contract heifer rearing; contract cropping; cow leasing; share farming; long-term land leasing; machinery and labour sharing and rider/breeder contracts in the sport horse industry.
In his earlier career, he worked as a Teagasc business and technology dairy advisor in Dunmanway, Skibbereen and Clonakilty in Co. Cork. He also worked as a Rural Environment Protection Scheme (REPS) planner for Teagasc during the 1990s.
Speaking following his appointment Thomas Curran said: “I am passionate about the Teagasc Advisory Service, its links with research and education in Teagasc and the role it plays in working collaboratively with stakeholders and farmers in developing Irish agriculture.
“It is a very exciting time facing the advisory service in Teagasc, as we prepare and support farmers for a modern and dynamic farming and food sector.
“In particular, equipping them with the skills and knowledge to address the economic, environmental and social sustainability challenges facing the sector. Farming this year is dominated by farm input and output price volatility, so careful business and financial planning by farmers is more important than ever,” he added.
Challenges facing farmers
Congratulating Thomas Curran on his appointment, Dr. Stan Lalor said: “He brings a wealth of experience from a variety of technical and leadership roles he has held in Teagasc, leading many initiatives and joint programmes.
“Teagasc continues to focus on supporting all farmers, industry stakeholders and partners in the ongoing sustainable development of the farming and agri-food sector in the context of food production requirements and opportunities, and the priorities within Ireland’s [Common Agricultural Policy] CAP Strategic Plan and Food Vision 2030 ambitions.
The Teagasc advisory service is well positioned to support farmers in these objectives as they adopt new technologies and farming practices to reduce greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions and address the challenges of climate change.”
Dr. Lalor also acknowledged the outgoing head of Advisory Service, Dermot McCarthy. He said: “I would like to acknowledge the contribution of Dermot McCarthy, who retired from the role as head of advisory earlier this year.
“I thank him for his leadership, his many years of service to Teagasc and his numerous achievements during a long and distinguished career. I wish him well in the next phase of his life.”