The clock is ticking until farmers from across the country will begin flocking to the 2019 Teagasc National Dairy Conference – which is due to kick off next week.
The title of this year’s event is ‘Being a Sustainable Dairy Farmer’; in light of sustainability, in many regards, becoming increasingly to the forefront of Irish dairying.
Although Teagasc has stated: “Farmers who recognise the challenges this presents and adapt accordingly will continue to operate profitable and viable farm businesses.”
The objective of this year’s conference is to provide guidance on ‘being a sustainable dairy farmer’ and will outline the steps that dairy farmers can take to ensure that their farming operations are: profitable; environmentally sound; and socially acceptable.
The event is sure to be an insightful day out for all and is set to feature a number of leading dairy farmers along with Teagasc advisors and researchers.
Some of the farmers will tell their story of how they have recently entered the industry, while others will be sharing how they have managed to make their business more sustainable from a labour perspective.
The conference is set to focus on three components of dairy sustainability: environmental; work life balance; and succession/progression sustainability.
These three components will be covered in three sessions during the day.
- Sustainability from an Environmental Perspective:
- Building on the best;
- Increasing nitrogen (N) use of efficiency and reducing emissions;
- Increasing N use of efficiency: protected urea and low emission slurry spreading (LESS);
- Increasing N use of efficiency: white clover.
- Sustainability from a labour perspective:
- Making our farm work for us;
- Lean dairy farming: making it happen.
- Opportunities in dairy farming: succession and progression:
- Evaluating opportunities in dairying;
- Partnership options for dairying.
The event will then conclude with a panel discussion, in which a number of dairy farmers will share how they have followed different pathways into dairying.
More Information
The proceedings are set to kick off next Tuesday, December 3, in the Killarney Convention Centre, Co. Kerry, and again on Thursday, December 5, in the Mullingar Park Hotel, Co. Westmeath.
Registration will begin at 9:00am and the opening address will be at 9:45am – on both days.
- €30 for students;
- €60 for Teagasc farmer clients and ConnectEd members;
- €120 for all other attendees.
Registration includes: entrance to the conference; morning/afternoon tea, lunch; and a copy of the conference proceedings.
To find out more and to book your tickets click here