The Tillage Edge

John Mahon, Tillage Signpost Programme Advisor, discusses why proving the low-carbon grain advantage matters, the limits of existing data, and why annual, representative figures from Irish tillage farms are essential to meet buyer requirements and ultimately support increased payments for low-carbon grain. 
 
This episode of the Tillage Edge outlines what farmers need to know and why participation is critical for securing long-term value for Irish grain.
 
For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to:
https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/

Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

Dr Richie Hackett, a crops researcher at Teagasc Oak Park, is on this week’s Tillage Edge to discuss managing large cover‑crop canopies. 
 
He explains the range of control methods available and why timing of destruction is critical - particularly the timing of destruction for your crop establishment system. 
 
Richie also explains practical dos and don’ts for direct ploughing of cover crops.
 
For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to:
https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/

Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

We’re focusing on continuous education and the benefits that upskilling can bring on this week’s Tillage Edge. 
 
Shay Phelan, Teagasc Tillage Specialist, and Phelim McDonald, Teagasc Tillage Advisor in Carlow, join the show to discuss how farmers can continue to develop their skills. 
 
Shay emphasises that building knowledge - particularly around herbicide resistance - and putting that knowledge into practice is essential for the long-term sustainability of the farm.
 
For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to:
https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/

Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

This is our final episode of 2025, and I want to wish you and your family a very Happy Christmas and New Year. 
 
I’d also like to thank you for joining me, Michael Hennessy, every week as we explored a wide range of topics throughout the year. It’s always great to meet people at events who listen to the podcast and to hear the suggestions for future episodes.
 
This year, Dermot Forristal, a long-time Teagasc researcher and a regular contributor to The Tillage Edge podcast retired. 
 
An episode we recorded with him earlier in the year on cultivation systems proved extremely popular, so today we're going to revisit that conversation.
 
Dermot takes us through over 100 years of crop establishment practices, explaining how changes in machinery have influenced - and enabled - new approaches to soil cultivation. 
 
He also shares insights into why the plough dominated for so long, and what factors are now driving farmers to consider alternative systems.
 
For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to:
https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/

Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

For this week’s Tillage Edge, we look beyond the headline events and discuss the trends and challenges that have shaped tillage farming over the past year.
 
Richie Hackett, independent agricultural consultant based in Dublin, and John Dunne, Cereals Variety Manager with Goldcrop in Cork, join the podcast to discuss the tillage year.  
 
They talk about what growers can take from a season marked by variable weather, shifting input costs, evolving disease pressures, and ongoing changes in crop performance.
 
For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to:
https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/

Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com