This week’s episode of Farmland takes a look at the future of sheep farming as low factory prices and high input costs persist, and also features an update on plans to begin producing biomethane at Teagasc’s Grange College in Co. Meath.
The programme, which is now live on the agriland.ie platform, can be viewed by clicking the YouTube link above.
In the episode of Farmland, Sean McNamara of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA) speaks to Agriland’s technical sheep specialist Michael Geary, about the challenges facing sheep farmers, and explains why young people no longer see a future in the sector.
In the programme, McNamara points out that the average age of a sheep farmer is now 63, and states the next generation is not coming to take their place.
Later on Farmland
Later in the episode, Agriland’s technical beef specialist Breifne O’Brien speaks to building officer JJ Lenehan about the anaerobic digestion plant at Teagasc’s Grange College, which is due to commence biomethane production by the end of this year.
Fed with a mix of slurry and silage from the Grange farm itself, Lenehan tells O’Brien that the digester is expected to produce the equivalent of 1,000L of diesel in renewable gas every day.
This will be eligible for exportation to the national grid, although Teagasc is also planning to research the possibility of using it as vehicle fuel.
Finally, Lenehan paints a picture of the future of biogas plants across Ireland, stating that he expects the country to follow in Europe’s footsteps by ramping up renewable gas production over the next 20 years.
This week’s episode of Farmland is now live on the Agriland platform. All previous episodes can be streamed via the award-winning digital platform, agriland.ie, and links will also be available across Agriland social media platforms.
All episodes of Farmland can be viewed by clicking here. Farmland – the podcast is also available on every major podcast platform.