Dairy Women Ireland is hosting its national conference later this month. The event, at the Charleville Park Hotel on November 21, focuses on ‘Dairy’s Social Licence’ in the first of a range of topics pertinent to Irish milk production. ‘Juggling Life and Dairy Farming’ is another headline discussion that could surely be addressed by people in other parts of our society where busy lives are also the norm. Practical challenges in the dairy sector are also addressed with a session on ‘Managing Lameness in your Herd’, a problem that is certain to resonate with all livestock producers. ‘Turning Breeding Decisions into Business Success’ continues the practical focus at the Dairy Women Conference. Along with grassland management decisions, breeding choices are arguably the most important considerations in Irish milk production today. The final session of the Dairy Women conference addresses key aspects of the red tape and regulatory processes that impinge on so many dairy farms and businesses, especially since the scaling up of production over the past 10 years. Barrister Cara Jane Walsh joins Mary Cronin of FDC Group to engage with the audience on the theme of ‘Employment Law and Payroll’. It is a complex and constantly changing area in which many farmers have had to gain expertise in recent years especially.
Outside of the formal conference proceedings, the attendees are guaranteed opportunities to engage with like-minded people, whether they are milk producers, farm managers, agricultural professionals – including researchers and educators – or industry supporters. The networking opportunities are accompanied by a drinks reception after the conference, followed by a gala dinner and fashion show.
