The Tillage Edge

Sheila Alves, a researcher in Teagasc, Oak Park and Cork-based Teagasc tillage advisor, Michael McCarthy, join this week’s Tillage Edge to discuss what growers need to know about spring beans for the 2026 season.
 
“With margins remaining competitive compared to other spring crops, beans are expected to be widely grown again this year,” Michael McCarthy explains. 
 
The conversation focuses on key establishment decisions, including field selection, soil conditions, drilling timing, seed rates, and achieving optimal plant populations.  The guests also share practical advice on nutrition and weed control.
 
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

Working with the EU funded VALPRO Path project team, Michael Hennessy visits agricultural grain drying and storage specialists McArthur BDC in the UK.  
Michael speaks with John McArthur about the company’s work installing large-scale grain storage and drying systems, alongside their plans to process home-grown beans for inclusion in poultry rations.
The discussion explores how small-scale trials, along with results from large commercial poultry units, show that beans can successfully compete with soya in feed rations. 
John also discusses how improved infrastructure and local processing could create new markets for UK-grown protein crops, reduce reliance on imported soya, and at the same time add value across the arable sector.

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

Don Somers, the Wexford tillage farmer who won the 2025 Teagasc–FBD Environmental Sustainability Award, and Siobhán Kavanagh from Teagasc’s Signpost Farm programme, join Michael Hennessy on this week’s Tillage Edge.
 
Don explains why winning the award was important to him and how it recognises tillage farmers’ sustainability work.
 
Siobhán outlines the awards categories, judging criteria, supports available to applicants and practical first steps farmers can take now to prepare for the 2026 awards. 
 
The deadline for applications is the end of February and full details and how to apply are at: 
https://teagasc.ie/environment/climate-change-air-quality/signpost-programme/sustainability-awards/about-the-awards/#apply
 
 
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 the second in a series featuring talks from this year’s Teagasc National Tillage Conference, this week on the Tillage Edge we focus on research and the key issues that will shape tillage farming in the years ahead.
 
This episode highlights new research from Teagasc Oak Park with Jack Perry who provides an update on BYDV transmission in tolerant barley varieties; Sinéad Dermody discusses the suitability of rye varieties for higher-value markets; while Stephen Kildea outlines how chocolate spot in beans has developed fungicide resistance in recent years.
 
All the slides from the conference are available at:
https://teagasc.ie/publications/national-tillage-conference-2026-presentations/
 
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 begin a series of talks from this year’s Teagasc National Tillage Conference, focusing on the research and issues that will shape tillage farming in the years ahead.
 
This episode of the Tillage Edge examines Irish competitiveness, both at home and internationally. 
 
Teagasc economist, Dr Trevor Donnellan, presents a paper prepared by Dr Fiona Thorne, outlining how Irish farmers remain competitive due to high yields, whilst highlighting that national averages can mask large differences between the most and least profitable farms.
 
Links to all presentations from the 2026 National Tillage Conference are at:
https://teagasc.ie/publications/national-tillage-conference-2026-presentations/
 
 
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