With the grain harvest nearing an end, finally there is a chance to take a day off from the daily chores.

The National Ploughing Championships event over three days offers many opportunities for a bit of diversion or at the very least to allow you take your mind away from the farm and the very difficult 2024 on many farms.

If nothing else, it highlights that you are not alone, and talking about the challenge and putting an action plan in place can take the mental pressure off in so many ways.

Our team in Irish Country Living is spearheading a ‘Break the Cycle’ campaign with the aim of raising awareness for mental health and to get rural young and old talking about the importance of minding your mental health.

At the Ploughing, with Tirlán and Aware we hope to shine a light. Call in to our stand to get on the exercise bikes for a few minutes or just call in for a chat.

Isn’t it ironic in this day and age of AI and technology, that every year brings a twist that nobody has forecast. This year’s spring barley crops seem set to be the unlikely hero or saviour crop for tillage farmers. While it still continues slowly in some parts, the harvesting weather opportunity arrived, but more importantly, the summer weather means a lot of the spring barley is passing for malting.

This price premium of €60-€70/tonne is really what a lot of farmers have out of the crop at the end of the day. Increased access to these premium malting markets is needed and will be essential for the sector’s stability and viability.

The most significant industry move since the LacPatrick Lakeland deal is developing, with the initiation of discussions between Tipperary and Arrabawn Co-ops. There is the potential for synergies, and cost savings. The short and long term debt will need careful planning.

However, Arrabawn has delivered on business growth, milk price and debt repayment promises in the last three years.

The removal of the liquid milk millstone seems to have streamlined the focus of the operation. The question milk suppliers are asking now is can this continue as a new entity? We await developments.