2024 POSITIVE FARMERS CONFERENCE
Embrace Profitable, Labour Efficient,
Milk Production at our Industry Leading Dairy
Eventnn
and Unlock your Future
Farming Potentialllll
Early Bird, Group, Teagasc and Student discounts available.
BONUS MASTERCLASS OPPORTUNITY for first 100 tickets booked before Nov 1st, Paul Bird (Dairy NZ) will host a financial
evaluation and management workshop. Numbers are strictly limited to first 100 booked before Nov 1st.
09:00 - 09:40
Registration, Refreshments & Networking
09:40 - 09:45
Welcome and Opening Remarks
Session 1 A
09:45 - 10:35
DAIRY MARKETS OUTLOOK
Short to medium term outlook for dairy in Ireland
Unusual current dynamic of demand led drop in price
The outlook for dairy markets is influenced by various factors such as global supply and demand dynamics, consumer
preferences, and government policies.
Session 2 A
10:35 - 12:15
EXAMINING FARM SYSTEMS OF THE FUTURE
Intense analysis of different scenarios and what the effects will be
Capitalising on natural climatic advantages
Outputs of the system in terms of profit/ha, cost of production (c/l), environmental impact,
workload.
•
Detailed comparisons
•
Thought-provoking discussion
How does your system work at
•
220kgN/ha organic stocking rate?
•
190kgN/ha chemical fertiliser allowance, at 35c/l base price,
•
What cap ex is required due to changes in derogation
Chairperson: Jack Kennedy
Dr. Brendan Horan
Dairy Systems Researcher at Teagasc
Dr. Laurence Shalloo
Head of the Animal & Grassland Research
Moorepark.
Dr. Michael Wallace
Professor of Agriculture and Food Economics at
University College Dublin.
Dr. Zoe McKay
Lecturer/Assistant Professor of Grass and Forage
Science at University College Dublin
12:15 - 13:25
Lunch and Networking
Session 3 A
13:25 - 15:00
KEY COMPONENTS OF LOW-COST DAIRY PRODUCTION
Actions to take in low milk price – defensive mode
•
System
•
Financial management
•
Discipline
o
Who is making money
o
Who is losing money
o
Why?
Chairperson: Aidan Brennan
Paul Bird NZ
DairyNZ,
Mark and Measure course provider,
Banker, and farm consultant in New Zealand
& Europe.
15:00 - 15:30
Refreshment Break & Networking
Session 4 A
15:30 - 17:00
PROGRESSION BUSINESS MODELS
A New Experience - Unlock your future farming potential
With inevitable change comes difficult decisions for some and creates opportunities for others.
It might be time to consider alternative ways of running the business, or to pass it on to the next
generation, or to bring in new skills.
Experience joint ventures with young people and inspirational stories about how to achieve your
dreams in farming.
Chairperson: Paidi Kelly
William Kingston
Dairy Farming in Co. Cork.
Briege Corkery and Diarmuid Scannell
Dairy Farming in Co. Cork.
19:30 - ……….
CONFERENCE GALA NETWORKING DINNER
Relax and unwind after the first day of the Conference in good company.
DAY 1 WEDNESDAY 10th JANUARY 2024
PROTECTING YOUR PROFITS
IN CHALLENGING TIMES
Better Farming - Better Business - Better Lifestyle
Phone: 353 87 6457987 Email: info@positivefarmers.ie
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2
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CONFERENCE
FARMERS
POSITIVE
JAN 11th & 12th
Radisson Blu Hotel
Cork.
DAY 1
WEDNESDAY 11TH JANUARY
SAFEGUARDING YOUR FUTURE
09:00 - 09:40
Registration & Ref
reshments
09:40 - 09:45
Welcome & Open
ing Remarks
09:45 - 11:00
DAIRY MARKETS OUTLOOK
Short to medium term outlook for
dairy in Ireland
DAIRY AS A PRIME FOOD SOURCE
Should farmers continue
producing milk for human
nutrition?
Chairperson: Michael Murphy
Liam McCabe
Dairy Specialist
Bord Bia -
The Irish Food Board
Prof. Alice
Stanton
Professor at RCSI &
Director of Human
Health at Devenish
Nutrition.
11:00 - 12:45
RESILIENT MILK PRODUCTION
Time for a rethink?
WHAT IF? - Intense analysis of different
scenarios and what the effects will be
This will really highlight the
different risks to your business
Chairperson: Kevin Twomey
Aidan Brennan
Dairy Editor IFJ
Laurence Shalloo
Head of the Animal
& Grassland
Research,
Moorepark
Joe Patton, Teagasc
12:45 - 14:00
Lunch and Networking
14:00 - 15:30
ENVIRONMENT
•
Biodiversity
•
Space for nature
•
Why?
NITRATES DEROGATION
IMPROVING BIODIVERSITY ON
DAIRY FARMS
Farmers are engaging with climate
change and taking action to
reduce the impact that their
farming system has on the
environment
Daire O
Huallachain
Teagasc, Research
officer. Johnstown
Castle.
Aoife Feeney
Agricultural Policy
Officer, Embassy of
the Kingdom of the
Netherlands, Ireland
Shane Fitzgerald
Dairy farmer,
milking 210 cows in
Portlaw, Co.
Waterford.
15:30 - 16:00
Refreshment Break & Networking
16:00 - 18:00
OUR STORY
Inspirational stories about how
to achieve your dreams in
farming
Matthew Jackson
UK Award
winning dairy
farmer
Blair Robinson
Dairy Holdings
NZ
19:30 ………
CONFERENCE GALA
NETWORKING DINNER
Relax and unwind after the first
day of the Conference in good
company
•
Make new friends
•
Meet old friends
Better Farming - Better Business - Better Lifestyle
DAY 2
THURSDAY 12TH JANUARY
SAFEGUARDING YOUR FUTURE
09:00 - 09:40
Registration & Ref
reshments
09:40 - 11:00
STREAMLINED FARMING
The benefits to you and your family
What are non-negotiables?
•
Systems
•
Infrastructure
•
People
Chairperson: Aidan Brennan
Michael Murphy
Irish Dairy Farming
Leader
Blair Robinson
Dairy Holdings
NZ
11:00 - 11:30
Refreshment Break & Networking
1130 - 13:00
MULTI-SPECIES SWARDS
Magic Mixes or Mixed Messages?
The benefits of a multi-species
sward is that they require reduced
fertiliser while maintaining a
steady growth rate. We will be
discussing the science and
practical elements.
Joe sowed his first 30 acres of MSS
in August 2017 and has key
messages on soil health, seeds,
establishment, weed control, and
a change in mindset when it
comes to grazing and managing
compared to a PRG sward
Chairperson: John McNamara
Pro. Trevor
Gilliland
Institute of Global
Food Security
Queens
University Belfast
Joe Leonard
Dairy farming in
Co Meath
13:00 - 14:15
Lunch and Networking
14:15 - 15:45
COUPLES IN PARTNERSHIP
One thing we don’t list on our
balance sheet is health and the
health of our relationships, It’s a
low-cost but high-value priority.
” Sean Brotherson ”
•
Challenges
•
Focus on the positive
•
Bottom line
Chairperson: Mella Briscoe
Marion Beecher
Teagasc,
Research Officer,
Moorepark, Co.
Cork.
Andrew and
Claire Brewer
UK award
winning Dairy
Farmers
15:45- 16:45
PANEL DISCUSSION
Safeguarding your future
•
What steps do you need to
take to safeguard your future?
Chairperson: Jack Kennedy
Niall Murphy
Sean McCarthy
Gillian O’Sullivan
16:45 - 16:50 Conference Close
Wishing everyone a happy, healthy and successful year ahead
Better Farming - Better Business - Better Lifestyle
Teagasc advisors and students, please contact
info@positivefarmers.ie
or phone 087 6457987 for special rates.
2
0
2
3
CONFERENCE
FARMERS
SAFEGUARD YOUR FUTURE
Always walk through life as if you have something to learn and you will
Vernon Howard
DAY 2
Thursday - 12th January 2023
09:00 - 09:30
Registration, Ref
reshments & Netw
orking
09:30 - 11:00
STREAMLINED FARMING
The benefits to you and your family
What are non-negotiables?
•
Systems
•
Infrastructure
•
People
Chairperson: Aidan Brennan
Michael Murphy
Irish Dairy Farming Leader
Blair Robinson
Dairy Holdings NZ
11:00 - 11:30
Refreshment Break & Networking
11:30 - 13:00
MULTI-SPECIES SWARDS - Magic Mixes or Mixed Messages?
The benefits of a multi-species sward is that they require reduced fertiliser
while maintaining a steady growth rate. We will be discussing the science
and practical elements.
Joe sowed his first 30 acres of MSS in August 2017 and has key messages on soil
health, seeds, establishment, weed control, and a change in mindset when it comes
to grazing and managing compared to a PRG sward
Chairperson: John McNamara
Professor Trevor Gilliland
Institute of Global Food Security
Queens University Belfast
Joe Leonard
Dairy farming in Co Meath.
13:00 - 14:15
Lunch and Networking
14:15- 15:45
COUPLES IN PARTNERSHIP
One thing we don’t list on our balance sheet is health and the health of our
relationships, It’s a low-cost but high-value priority. ” Sean Brotherson ”
•
Challenges
•
Focus on the positive
•
Bottom line
Chairperson: Mella Briscoe
Marion Beecher
Teagasc, Research Officer,
Moorepark, Co. Cork.
Andrew and Claire Brewer
UK Award winning dairy farmer
15:45 - 16:45
PANEL DISCUSSION
Safeguarding your future
What steps do you need to take to safeguard your future?
Chairperson: Jack Kennedy
Niall Murphy
Sean McCarthy
Gillian O’Sullivan
16:45- 16:50
Conference Close
Wishing everyone a happy, healthy and successful year ahead
Wishing everyone a happy, healthy and successful year ahead
Better Farming - Better Business - Better Lifestyle
Better Farming - Better Business - Better Lifestyle
POSITIVE
Secure your place at this important event
Web: www.positivefarmers.ie - Phone: 353 87 6457987 - Email: info@positivefarmers.ie
DAY 1
Wednesday 11th January 2023
09:00 - 09:40
Registration, Ref
reshments & Netw
orking
09:40 - 09:45
Welcome & Open
ing Remarks
09:45 - 11:15
DAIRY MARKETS OUTLOOK
Short to medium term outlook for dairy in Ireland
Global milk supply continues to expand but the rate of growth is slowing
DAIRY AS A PRIME FOOD SOURCE
Should farmers continue producing milk for human nutrition?
“Policymakers should be extremely wary of global health estimates that are not
rigorously and transparently evidence based and that ignore the protections against
nutritional deficiencies afforded by animal source foods,” Alice Stanton.
Chairperson: Michael Murphy
Alice Stanton
Professor at RCSI &
Director of Human Health at
Devenish Nutrition.
11:15 - 12:45
RESILIENT MILK PRODUCTION - Time for a rethink?
•
Addressing the challenges
•
Reaction to analysis
WHAT IF? - Intense analysis of different scenarios and what the effects
will be This will really highlight the different risks to farm businesses
Chairperson: Kevin Twomey
Aidan Brennan
Dairy Editor IFJ
Laurence Shalloo
Head of the Animal & Grassland
Research, Moorepark.
Joe Patton, Teagasc
12:45 - 14:00
Lunch and Networking
14:00 - 15:30
ENVIRONMENT
•
Biodiversity
•
Space for nature
•
Why?
Water quality
•
What are the biggest issues?
•
What implications will this have?
•
Should farmers be concerned?
IMPROVING BIODIVERSITY ON DAIRY FARMS
Farmers are engaging with climate change and taking action to reduce the impact
that their farming system has on the environment
Chairperson: Gillian O’Sullivan
Daire O Huallachain
Teagasc, Research officer.
Johnstown Castle.
Aoife Feeney
Agricultural Policy Officer,
Embassy of the Kingdom of the
Netherlands, Ireland
Shane Fitzgerald
Dairy farmer milking 210 cows
alongside his family in Portlaw,
Co. Waterford.
15:30 - 16:00
Networking Ref
reshment break
Refreshment Break & Networking
16:00 - 18:00
OUR STORY
Inspirational stories about how to achieve your dreams in farming
Chairperson: Paidi Kelly
Matthew Jackson
UK Award winning dairy farmer
Blair Robinson
Dairy Holdings NZ
19:30 - ……….
NEEDS TO BE
PRE-BOOKED
CONFERENCE GALA NETWORKING DINNER
Relax and unwind after the first day of the Conference in good company
•
Make new friends
•
Meet old friends
Teagasc advisors and students, please contact info@positivefarmers.ie or phone 087 6457987 for special rates.
