A spring in our step

It’s now showtime as spring planting is about to begin. Lambs are jumping among the emerging daffodils, calving is in full flight, and we are in the middle of setting ourselves up for the start of a new year in farming activities as the winter draws to a close.
An old saying comes to mind as I pen this month’s column, ‘March of many weathers’. We are farming among storms and showers and all sorts of weather. What’s new, eh?
Now, down to business. I see farmland prices were up by €590 per acre to an average of €12,515 per acre in 2024. A survey carried out over 24,800 acres of farmland sold in 2024 showed that the price per acre increased by 5 per cent, on average, when compared to 2023.
I was intrigued to read recently that an ancient wheat variety similar to that grown in the Céide fields in Mayo 5,000 years ago could be harvested again by local farmers for bakers in the region. The Céide fields are considered to be one of the oldest and largest Stone Age farming sites in the world, dating back to c. 3700 BC. These fields cover what was once hundreds of farms, sectioned into parallel walls marking rectangular plots that would have contained dwelling houses, sheds for sheep and cattle, and where wheat was grown. As the climate changed, certain practices stopped and wheat crops were grown no more. But it seems that tillage may well be returning to the northwest region, if this ancient wheat variety is grown again. Machinery dealers in that neck of the woods, keep an eye on this! Will combines be rolling into that region? We will wait and see.
The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) is calling for stronger laws around dog attacks on livestock, and correctly so. I have experienced individuals out and about with their dogs, and not in control of them. Some people are genuinely getting some exercise with their family pets and they mean well – probably just not thinking about the consequences of what might happen if that dog that is clearly not on a lead decides to bolt! Others are out in the countryside with their dogs at a more unsocial hour for ‘other’ reasons. Sometimes these are not the nicest to meet and they certainly don’t know how to close a gate. The IFA has highlighted the lack of robust enforcement of the legal obligations on dog owners, which has allowed horrendous attacks to persist and increase across the country. The IFA president says they are demanding stronger regulations and stricter enforcement. A court appearance and a scaled fine measured by the amount of damage caused by the offending dog or dogs would be a good start.
On the tillage front I hear that there will be no new support schemes introduced this year for the tillage sector. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has stated that the €100/ha payment will be part of the 2025 budget but no further schemes will be in place for this year with a review due in 2026.
It has been announced that Paraic Dwyer Agri is now a Krone and Amazone dealer for Co. Mayo he kicked off his appointment at the start of February.
On the tractor front, the Farm Tractor and Machinery Trade Association (FTMTA) has revealed some stats for 2023, showing the top-three brands in the Republic of Ireland. These were: John Deere at 29.3 per cent; Massey Ferguson at 18.7 per cent; and New Holland at 15.9 per cent.
On the combine front, Claas combines have topped the Irish combine market once again for the 13th year in a row. On the forage harvester front, sales are down by 14 per cent year on year. There were 34 foragers sold in the Republic of Ireland last year and the top-three were Claas at 67.6per cent; John Deere at 17.6 per cent; and New Holland at 2.9 per cent.
Well, that’s it for this month! Keep an eye out in your newsagents over the next few weeks as the Irish Farm Machinery & Equipment Yearbook 2025 will be hitting the shelves.  This is one not to be missed! Farm wisely and farm safely, my friends.