Positive Farmers, Cork, Ireland
Open Monday to Friday, 9am - 5pm
Telephone 087 6457987
email: mok.positivefarmers@gmail.com
www.positivefarmers.ie
2019 POSITIVE FARMERS DAIRY CONFERENCE
Radisson Blu Hotel, Cork. Jan 16th and 17th 2019
2019 Conference Speakers
As usual we bring you top world-renowned speakers, they will cover the key technical, financial, people management and research needs for successful dairy farming and profitable expansion.Jack Kennedy (Irish Farmers Journal)
Jack Kennedy is the Dairy Editor with the Farmers Journal which he joined in October 2002.
His main areas of responsibility relate to outlining the best existing and emerging technology inside the farm gate to
dairy farmers. He previously worked as a researcher at Moorepark Grassland and Dairy Research Centre.
He hails from a farming background in Cahir, Co Tipperary. He has a degree from the University College Dublin in
Agriculture and a doctorate from Moorepark and UCD. His interests outside of farming are cycling and following all
sports.
Adrian Van Bysterveldt, Farm Advisor with Dairy Holdings, NZ
Brendan is a project leader with responsibility for the development and implementation of grassland science multi-year
farm systems research projects at Curtins Farm, Teagasc Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork and Ballyhaise Agricultural College,
Ballyhaise, Co. Cavan.
Current Projects
•
Investigation of alternative autumn and spring grassland management practices within intensive pasture-based
spring milk production systems.
•
An evaluation of the biological and financial implications of extended grazing within a wetland soil in the Border
Midlands Western Region.
Education
Executive MBA, University College Cork 2011
PhD in Dairy Science, University College Dublin 2004
Higher Diploma in Business Studies, Michael Smurfit Business School, University College Dublin 2001
Bachelor of Agricultural Science, University College Dublin 2000
Dr Brendan Horan, Research Officer - Grassland Science, Teagasc
Sian Bushell, (Wales)
Con Hurley, Cork
Descended from a long line of West Wales farmers, Siân Bushell was trained as a succession facilitator in Australia in
2006 by Lyn Sykes, a Family Farm Business Facilitator. Armed with these skills she set up Siân Bushell Associates to
provide succession planning for farming families and other family businesses.
This followed a Masters Degree in Business Administration from Glamorgan University gained in 2005.
Before that, she was partner and then director of a successful dairy farm for 25 years and has been a director and
chairperson of two dairy farm related businesses.
Good communication skills and an understanding of how to manage people were evident in her farm business where
she gained an Investors In People Award.
Sian also completed a Primary Certificate Course in Performance Coaching in 2012.
Farm business study tours have taken Siân across New Zealand, Ireland and across the UK, where her services as an
inspirational speaker have been much in demand.
Donal Patton, Lead Dairy Researcher at Ballyhaise, Cavan
Donal is a research officer with Teagasc based in Ballyhaise, Co. Cavan. Together with his brother Joe, Donal
manages the dairy farm on their home farm near Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan. Donal is passionate about grass
based systems and profitable dairy farming.
Lead Dairy Researcher at Ballyhaise
Dr. Nollaig Heffernan
Tadgh Buckley,
Head of Agri Sector AIB Bank
Michael Bateman
Dr. John Roche, NZ
John has a very distinguished record as a scientist and researcher in the dairy industry and academia.
He most recently worked as a principle scientist at DairyNZ. He did his bachelor degree at Moorepark and has worked for over 25 years in Australia/New Zealand. He holds a honours degree in Agricultural Science, A masters in Farm Systems and Pasture Management, and a PhD in Animal Nutrition. Scientific work experience includes: - Researcher for Dairy Production, Moorepark Ireland - 5 years as a Senior Scientist, Department of Primary Industries, Victoria, Australia - 6 years with the Dairying Research Corporation and Dexcel in New Zealand - 1.5 years as an Associate Professor in University of Tasmania, Australia
Tadgh has worked in various agri advisory roles in AIB since the early 2000s. Most recently, he headed up the bank’s
agri advisory team in Co. Cork and the south-west.
The qualified financial advisor runs a dairy farm and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Agricultural Science from
University College Dublin (UCD). As well as this, the Cork native picked up a Master of Business Administration (MBA)
from the University of Limerick in 2015.
The accomplished academic was also awarded a Nuffield Scholarship in 2009. For his topic, he chose to examine the
role of dairy future markets and other price risk management mechanisms in the EU dairy industry
Pat Hickey
Desie Group
Nollaig Heffernan is an independent Management Consultant based in Ireland who specialises in Leadership and
Organisational Psychology. She works across sectors with businesses from sole traders to multi-nationals to improve
their performance by increasing the efficiency of their most valuable asset; their people. Nollaig regularly delivers
workshops to Dairy Discussion Groups across the UK and Ireland and has spoken at seminars and conferences on
topics relating to labour efficiency, self-management and change management in the Dairy Sector.
Nollaig graduated with an honours degree in Applied Psychology followed by a Higher Diploma in Business and
Financial Information Systems from University College, Cork, Ireland. A Masters in Work and Organisational Psychology
from the University of Hull, UK, combined both disciplines of psychology and business and inspired further research in
the form of a PhD, specialising in the area of leadership and its measurement under the supervision of Dr. Peter
Clough. This dual-discipline background in business and psychology has been invaluable in helping companies and
organisations to improve their performance through both their processes and their people. Nollag was voted best
speaker of the 2018 Positive Farmers Cobference (by the delegates)
Con Hurley is a writer and life coach.
In 2009 he published his first book on Life Planning and followed with two biographies.
The first book of his autobiography is with the editor and his current project is titled ‘What’s My Legacy?’
Over the past 18 years, he has lectured and facilitated on two MBA courses and other courses on the topics of life
planning, flourishing, happiness, effective decision making and journaling.
Con was Dairy editor of the Farmers Journal for many years and a founder member of The Positive Farmers
Michael is a Dairy Farmer from West Cork
milking 300 cows. He operates a spring
calving, grass based system and rears
all his replacement heifers.
Bill O’Keeffe
Bill is a dairy farmer from Conna, Co. Cork.
He has expanded the home farm at Conna
to milk 400 cows and he is also a partner in
two dairy farm businesses in Wicklow.
Bill is a former Nuffield scholar and ran the
Nuffield Ireland organisation for a number
of years.
Marion Beecher, Research officer, Teagasc
Research Interests
•
Dairy farm labour productivity and efficiency
•
Labour efficient technologies, e.g. infra-structure, facilities and practices and work organization
•
Human resource management within dairy farm businesses
Current Projects
•
An evaluation of work organisation and human resource management within Irish dairy farm businesses.
•
Maximising labour productivity and minimising labour demand on Irish dairy farms
Education
PhD in Animal Science, University College Dublin
Bachelor of Agriculture Science, University College Dublin
Catherine & Liam Millerick
Catherine and Liam Millerick are from Fethard in Co Tipperary.
The husband and wife team is milking 123 cows on a 65ha milking platform,
with a further 20ha temporary grazing arrangement.
In 2013, they switched to once-a-day milking.
Today, the majority of the herd is crossbred and the Millericks continue to milk
once a day, citing quality of life as being the biggest factor in the decision. Their
herd is one of the highest EBI herds in the country at 168 and 2018 calves have
an EBI of 188
More info to follow
Managing Director, Down to Earth Advice Ltd
Padraig and Pat Walsh
Padraig and Pat are farming at Durrow, in Co. Laois.
One of the first adapters of grassland
measurement in Europe, Padraig has a wealth of
knowledge built up from over 25 years of
measurement.
Padraig’s son Pat graduated from University College
Dublin in 2013 and is now managing the grass on
the home farm. The father and son team grew over
2ot/ha of grass in 2017.
(Little Island)
The Hickey family, originally from Freshford, Co Kilkenny but who now have farms
in Laoise, Westmeath and Co Kilkenny. Pat made the first move in 2006 by buying
a 255 acre farm in Westmeath. A second farm in Roscommon was purchased in
2013 and extra farms have been purchased and leased by the family over the
years.
Positive Farmers, Cork, Ireland
Office Open Monday to Friday, 9am - 5pm
Telephone 087 6457987
email: mok.positivefarmers@gmail.com
www.positivefarmers.ie
2019 POSITIVE FARMERS DAIRY CONFERENCE
2019 Conference Speakers
As usual we bring you top worldwide speakers, they will cover the key technical, financial, people management and research needs for successful dairy farming and profitable expansion.Radisson Blu Hotel, Cork.
Jan 16th & 17th 2018
Con Hurley is a writer and life coach.
In 2009 he published his first book on Life
Planning and followed with two biographies.
The first book of his autobiography is with the
editor and his current project is titled ‘What’s
My Legacy?’
Over the past 18 years, he has lectured and
facilitated on two MBA courses and other
courses on the topics of life planning,
flourishing, happiness, effective decision
making and journaling.
Con was Dairy editor of the Farmers Journal
for many years and a founder member of The
Positive Farmers
Adrian van Bysterveldt, NZ
Adrian unfortunately will not be able
to speak to this years Conference.
“ I very much regret that due to my
current illness that I will not be able to
meet my many Irish friends at the
Positive Farmers Conference this year.
Currently I am receiving chemotherapy
treatment for cancer, the prognoses
however is hopeful so I very much hope
that I will be able to catch up with all my
Irish friends in 2020.”
We wish Adrian, his wife, Annie and
family our full support at this difficult
time. Given Adrian’s positive attitude we
would be very hopeful of seeing Adrian
many times in Ireland in the future.
Jack Kennedy is the Dairy Editor with the
Farmers Journal which he joined in October
2002.
His main areas of responsibility relate to
outlining the best existing and emerging
technology inside the farm gate to dairy
farmers. He previously worked as a researcher
at Moorepark Grassland and Dairy Research
Centre.
He hails from a farming background in Cahir,
Co Tipperary. He has a degree from the
University College Dublin in Agriculture and a
doctorate from Moorepark and UCD. His
interests outside of farming are cycling and
following all sports.
Sian Bushell, (Wales)
Dr Nollaig Heffernan,
Nollaig Heffernan is an independent
Management Consultant based in Ireland who
specialises in Leadership and Organisational
Psychology. She works across sectors with
businesses from sole traders to multi-nationals
to improve their performance by increasing
the efficiency of their most valuable asset;
their people. Nollaig regularly delivers
workshops to Dairy Discussion Groups across
the UK and Ireland and has spoken at
seminars and conferences on topics relating to
labour efficiency, self-management and
change management in the Dairy Sector.
Nollaig graduated with an honours degree in
Applied Psychology followed by a Higher
Diploma in Business and Financial Information
Descended from a long line of West Wales
farmers, Siân Bushell was trained as a
succession facilitator in Australia in 2006 by
Lyn Sykes, a Family Farm Business Facilitator.
Armed with these skills she set up Siân Bushell
Associates to provide succession planning for
farming families and other family businesses.
This followed a Masters Degree in Business
Administration from Glamorgan University
gained in 2005.
Before that, she was partner and then director
of a successful dairy farm for 25 years and has
been a director and chairperson of two dairy
farm related businesses. Good communication
skills and an understanding of how to manage
people were evident in her farm business
where she gained an Investors In People
Award.
Donal is a research officer with Teagasc based
in Ballyhaise, Co. Cavan. Together with his
brother Joe, Donal manages the dairy farm on
their home farm near Carrickmacross, Co
Monaghan. Donal is passionate about grass
based systems and profitable dairy farming.
Lead Dairy Researcher at Ballyhaise
Dr Brendan Horan,
Brendan is a project leader with responsibility
for the development and implementation of
grassland science multi-year farm systems
research projects at Curtins Farm, Teagasc
Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork and Ballyhaise
Agricultural College, Ballyhaise, Co. Cavan.
Research Interests
•
Dairy farm labour productivity and
efficiency
•
Labour efficient technologies, e.g.
infra-structure, facilities and practices
and work organization
•
Human resource management within
dairy farm businesses
Current Projects
•
An evaluation of work organisation
and human resource management
within Irish dairy farm businesses.
•
Maximising labour productivity and
minimising labour demand on Irish
dairy farms
Catherine and Liam Millerick are from Fethard
in Co Tipperary.
The husband and wife team is milking 123 cows
on a 65ha milking platform, with a further 20ha
temporary grazing arrangement.
In 2013, they switched to once-a-day milking.
Today, the majority of the herd is crossbred and
the Millericks continue to milk once a day, citing
quality of life as being the biggest factor in the
decision. Their herd is one of the highest EBI
herds in the country at 168 and 2018 calves
have an EBI of 188
Deisie Discussion Group
Tadgh has worked in various agri advisory
roles in AIB since the early 2000s. Most
recently, he headed up the bank’s agri
advisory team in Co. Cork and the south-west.
The qualified financial advisor runs a dairy
farm and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in
Agricultural Science from University College
Dublin (UCD). As well as this, the Cork native
picked up a Master of Business
Administration (MBA) from the University of
Limerick in 2015.
The accomplished academic was also
awarded a Nuffield Scholarship in 2009. For
his topic, he chose to examine the role of
dairy future markets and other price risk
management mechanisms in the EU dairy
industry
Systems from University College, Cork, Ireland. A Masters in Work and
Organisational Psychology from the University of Hull, UK, combined both
disciplines of psychology and business and inspired further research in the form
of a PhD, specialising in the area of leadership and its measurement under the
supervision of Dr. Peter Clough. This dual-discipline background in business and
psychology has been invaluable in helping companies and organisations to
improve their performance through both their processes and their people.
Sian also completed a Primary Certificate Course in Performance Coaching in
2012 Farm business study tours have taken Siân across New Zealand, Ireland and
across the UK, where her services as an inspirational speaker have been much in
demand.
Dr. John Roche, NZ
Managing Director, Down to Earth Advice Ltd
John has a very distinguished record as a
scientist and researcher in the dairy industry
and academia.
He most recently worked as a principle scientist at DairyNZ. John did his bachelor degree in Moorepark and has worked for over 25 years in Australia/New Zealand. He holds a honours degree in Agricultural Science, A masters in Farm Systems and Pasture Management, and a PhD in Animal Nutrition. Scientific work experience includes: - Researcher for Dairy Production, Moorepark Ireland - 5 years as a Senior Scientist, Department of Primary Industries, Victoria, Australia - 6 years with the Dairying Research Corporation and Dexcel in New Zealand - 1.5 years as an Associate Professor in University of Tasmania, Australia
Current Projects
•
Investigation of alternative autumn and
spring grassland management practices
within intensive pasture-based spring
milk production systems.
•
An evaluation of the biological and
financial implications of extended grazing
within a wetland soil in the Border
Midlands Western Region.
Tadgh Buckley,
Head of Agri Sector AIB Bank
Jack Kennedy (Irish Farmers Journal)
Con Hurley, Cork
Donal Patton,
Lead Dairy Researcher at Ballyhaise, Cavan
Marion Beecher, Research officer, Teagasc
Education
PhD in Animal Science, University College Dublin, Bachelor of Agriculture
Science, University College Dublin
Catherine & Liam Millerick
Michael Bateman
Michael is a Dairy Farmer from West Cork
milking 300 cows. He operates a spring
calving, grass based system and rears all his
replacement heifers.
Bill O’Keeffe
Bill is a dairy farmer from Conna, Co. Cork.
He has expanded the home farm at Conna
to milk 400 cows and he is also a partner in
two dairy farm businesses in Wicklow.
Bill is a former Nuffield scholar and ran the
Nuffield Ireland organisation for a number
of years.
Pat Hickey
More info to follow
Padraig and Pat Walsh
Padraig and Pat are farming at Durrow, in
Co. Laois. One of the first adapters of
grassland measurement in Europe.
Padraig has a wealth of knowledge built up
from over 25 years of measurement.
Padraig’s son Pat graduated from University
College Dublin in 2013 and is now
managing the grass on the home farm.
The father and son team grew over 2ot/ha
of grass in 2017.
The Hickey family, originally from
Freshford, Co Kilkenny but who now have
farms in Laoise, Westmeath and Co
Kilkenny. Pat made the first move in 2006
by buying a 255 acre farm in Westmeath.
A second farm in Roscommon was
purchased in 2013 and extra farms have
been purchased and leased by the family
over the years.
Research Officer - Grassland Science, Teagasc
