Upcoming Events
Spring Tillage Seminars 2026
With tillage farmers entering another uncertain year in 2026, the Teagasc Spring Crop Seminars hope to address many of the main issues that the industry is facing.
Topics for discussion will include:
- Crop choices for the upcoming season
- Getting most from the key inputs
- The challenge of herbicide resistance to different weeds and
- Maximising profitability in a difficult market
See dates and venues below
Wednesday, 14 January | 7pm | Kildare
Teagasc Office, Naas, Co. Kildare. Eircode: W91 HP38
Thursday, 15 January | 7:30pm | Kerry
Ballyroe Lodge Hotel, Tralee, Co. Kerry. Eircode: V92 HT91
Monday, 19 January | 7:30pm | Cork
Silver Springs Hotel, Tivoli, Cork. Eircode: T23 E244
Tuesday, 20 January | 7:30pm | Tipperary
KPlan Community Centre, Kilsheelan, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary. Eircode: E91 T3P6.
Wednesday, 21 January | 11am | Wexford
Riverside Park Hotel, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford. Eircode: Y21 T2F4
Thursday, 22 January | 10am | Tipperary
Teagasc Office, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary. Eircode: E45 H240
Thursday, 22 January | 11am | Carlow
Teagasc Oak Park, Cereals Building, Carlow. Eircode: R93 XE12
Thursday, 22 January | 7:30pm | Galway
Teagasc Office, Mellows Campus, Athenry, Co. Galway. Eircode: H65 R718
Monday, 26 January | 7:30pm | Cork
Munster Arms Hotel, Bandon, Co. Cork
Friday, 30 January | 11am | Waterford
Park Hotel, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford. Eircode: X35 CC97
Tuesday, 3 February | 11am | Louth
Teagasc Office, Dundalk, Co. Louth. Eircode: A91 PVW4
Tuesday, 3 February | 7:30pm | Laois
Teagasc Office, Portlaoise, Co. Laois. Eircode: R32 CF21
Wednesday, 4 February | 7:30pm | Meath
Teagasc Office, Navan, Co. Meath. Eircode: C15 NR79
Wednesday, 4 February | 7:30pm | Kilkenny
Teagasc Office, Kilkenny, Co. Kilkenny. Eircode: R95 RX30
Tuesday, 10 February | 7:30pm | Offaly
Tullamore Court Hotel, Tullamore, Co. Offaly. Eircode: R35 D406
Thursday, 19 February | 7:30pm | Donegal
An Grianán Hotel, Burt, Co. Donegal. Eircode: F93 YA0P
National Tillage Conference 2026
The National Tillage Conference 2026 takes place on Wednesday, 28 January at 9am in the Lyrath Convention Centre, Kilkenny, R95 F685.
Click here to register for the conference
Please note that pre-registration is required. Registration closes on Monday, 26th January at 12 midnight.
IASIS points will be available.
Conference Agenda
9am – 9:30am
Registration check
9:30am – 9:40am
Welcome and conference opening
Professor Frank O’Mara, Teagasc Director
9:40am – 10:20am
Session One: Sector competitiveness in a global market
The dynamics of trade and impact on competitiveness
Roel Jongeneel, Wageningen Economic Research, Wageningen University and Research
Tools to gauge competitiveness within the Irish tillage sector?
Dr Fiona Thorne, Agricultural Economics and Farm Surveys Department, Teagasc
Q&A – Panel Discussion
10:20pm – 10:45am
Session Two: Research Snapshots highlighting current & upcoming research outcomes
Important insights on BYDV and future role of tolerant varieties
Jack Perry, Teagasc Walsh Scholar
Higher value potential of Irish grown rye?
Sinead Dermody, Teagasc Walsh Scholar
Profiling fungicide sensitivity of chocolate spot
Dr Steven Kildea, Teagasc, Oak Park
10:45am – 11:15am
Tea/Coffee
11:15am – 11:45am
Session Two continued: Research Snapshots highlighting current & upcoming research outcomes
Defending Irish Crops Against the Threat of Plant Viruses
Marta Niedzicka, Marie Curie Fellow
Surveillance and Action for Fighting Clubroot
Jack Jameson, Teagasc, Oak Park
How good is the news from Europe on NGT breeding?
Dr Ewen Mullins, Teagasc, Oak Park
Q&A – Panel Discussion
11:45am – 12:40pm
Session Three: Rising threat from blackgrass: Research Insights plus lessons to be learnt
Addressing knowledge gaps on control and origin
Dr Vijaya Bhaskar, Teagasc Oak Park and Charlotte Morgan, Teagasc Walsh Scholar
How are UK farmers dealing with blackgrass
John Cussans, Weed Biology and Management Specialist, ADAS
Experience of grassweed management and more
Adrian Joynt, Apley Estate Farm Manager, Bridgnorth Shropshire
Q&A – Panel Discussion
12:40pm – 2pm
Lunch
2pm – 4:15pm
Session Four: Interactive Workshops
Workshops are running in parallel. Attendees have an option to select 3 of 4 through the afternoon.
Workshops times are:
- 2pm – 2:45pm
- 2:45pm – 3:30pm
- 3:30pm – 4:15pm
Workshop topics:
- Workshop One – Weed Clinic
- Workshop Two – Disease control decisions for 2026… and beyond
- Workshop Three – Competitiveness v. Sustainability, mapping a way forward
- Workshop Four – New Breeding Techniques, where are we going and what can we now expect?
4:15pm
Conference close
Previous Events
View information on previous events including recordings, presentations and publications.
National Tillage Conference 2025
The annual National Tillage Conference took place on Wednesday, 29 January in the Lyrath Conference Centre, Paulstown Road, Kilkenny. The conference was an in-person event in a new interactive format, providing updates and outputs from the latest research at Oak Park.
Conference Presentations
- How much carbon does tillage soil have and measures to enhance – Dr. Guilia Bondi, Teagasc
- Crop establishment systems at Knockbeg past and future role for sustainable production– Dermot Forristal, Teagasc
- Update on cover cropping in the Agricultural Catchments Programme and impact of Farming for Water EIP measure– Dr. Bridget Lynch, Teagasc
- Intercropping pea and beans to support pea production – lessons learnt from 2024 trials – Dr. Sheila Alves, Teagasc
- Novel food applications for peas and beans bread and beyond – Dr. Eimear Gallagher, Teagasc
- Decreasing mycotoxin load in food grade oats – Diana Bucur, Teagasc
- What does the global literature tell us on the impact of pesticide reduction – Meghan England, Teagasc
- What do the experts think the impact of pesticide reduction in Ireland will be – Robert McDougall, Teagasc
- The Pesticide Regulatory Prospective – AnneMarie Dillon, Department of Agriculture, Food & the Marine (DAFM)
- Workshop One – On-farm field evaluations to support production
- Workshop Two – Weed Clinic
- Workshop Three – Environmental credentials of tillage sector and role of AgNav
- Workshop Four – Disease control decisions for 2025… and beyond
Crops Forum 2024
The 2024 crops forum took place on September 11
Presentations
- Winter Cereal Varieties – Cara Mac Aodháin, Cereal Variety Testing Division, DAFM
- Rotations and risks – getting it right for your farm – Ciaran Collins, Teagasc Crops Specialist
- Early planting of winter barley – the risks for maximising yield potential – Dr Richie Hackett, Teagasc Crops Researcher
- Soil assessment and damage repair – Veronica Nyhan, Teagasc Soil Specialist
- Soil Drainage on Mineral Tillage Soils – Cathal Somers, Teagasc Water Quality Specialist
- Tillage farming and Water Quality– Eoghan O’Brien, Teagasc ASSAP Advisor
National Tillage Conference 2024
The annual National Tillage Conference took place on Wednesday, 31st January in the Lyrath Conference Centre, Paulstown Road, Kilkenny. The conference was an in-person event in a new interactive format, providing updates and outputs from the latest research at Oak Park.
Conference Presentations
- Winter Planting Survey
Michael Hennessy (Teagasc) - Replanting Winter Cereal Crops
Shay Phelan (Teagasc) - Rotations Scenarios for 2024
Dermot Forristal (Teagasc) - Trade-offs of crop establishment techniques
Jack Jameson, Teagasc Walsh Scholar - The Growing Poppy Problem
Charlotte Morgan, Teagasc Walsh Scholar - Barley Seed Health and related IPM issues
Steven Kildea, Teagasc Oak Park - Building opportunities for oats
Atikur Rahman, Teagasc Oak Park - Plant Processing and valorization opportunities gaining ground
Mark Fenelon, Teagasc Moorepark - Carbon footprint of the tillage sector
John Spink, Teagasc Oak Park - Domestic cereals can support a diverse drinks industry
Sinead Morris, SETU and Lisa Ryan, Teagasc Oak Park
Interactive Workshops
- Workshop 1 – Are there synergies for the tillage and dairy sector ?
- Michael Hennessy (Chair, Teagasc), Laurence Shalloo (Teagasc), David Wall (Teagasc), Tom Barry (Signpost Tillage Farmer).
- Workshop 2 – What do the 2030 Food Vision Tillage Group recommendations mean for the sector?
- John Spink (Chair, Teagasc), Matt Dempsey, Kieran McEvoy (IFA), David Kelly (Macra), Bobby Millar (Farmer)
- Workshop 3 – Getting to grips with grassweeds
- Dermot Forristal (Chair, Teagasc); John Mahon (Teagasc), Vijaya Bhaskar (Teagasc), Rob Coleman (Farmer)
- Workshop 4 – Disease control decisions for 2024
- Denis Griffin (MC, Teagasc), Steven Kildea (Teagasc), Veronica Nyhan (Teagasc), Mervyn McCann (Farmer)
- Workshop 5 – Getting the most out of your bean crop
- Donal Fitzgerald (Chair, Goldcrop), Ciaran Collins, Sheila Alves, Charles Smyth (Farmer)
Crops Forum 2023
The National Crops Forum 2023 took place on Friday, 8 September in the Killashee Hotel, Naas, Co. Kildare, W91 DC98.
Session One – Planning the season ahead with new varieties, agronomy for 2023 and where integrated pest management is essential for the future
Chaired by Dr Ewen Mullins, Head of Crop Science Department, Teagasc
- Varieties for 2023
DAFM – Cereal variety testing division - External IPM works
IPM Works - Agronomy decisions 2023 – how to make the IPM works into practical action
Shay Phelan, Tillage Specialist, Teagasc - Questions and answers session
Session Two – Climate change goals and building carbon stocks on tillage farms
Chaired by Michael Hennessy, Head of Crops Knowledge Transfer, Teagasc
- New MACC 2023
Gary Lanigan, Researcher, Teagasc - Signpost Programme
John Mahon, Teagasc Signpost Tillage Advisor - Signpost Programme Participant
Darren Allen, Cork tillage farmer - Questions and answers session
Session 3 – Tillage Forum
Mapping out a path for the tillage industry for the next 5 years
Speakers Matt Dempsey, Chair of the Food Vision Group, representatives from industry stakeholders including IFA, IGG, IFAC, Teagasc, FTMTA