Catch crops

Farmers will be harvesting, planting and sorting out cropping plans in the coming weeks.

Cover crops should be planted as soon as possible after cereal crops are harvested and will do best after early-harvested crops like winter barley and oats.

Farmers are confused about grazing rules for catch crop and forage crops and don;t see the need for the complications.

There are a lot of rules for tillage farmers to follow to protect water quality and more changes to ACRES rules.

The measures proposed under the interim review of the Nitrates Action Programme include reduced excretion rates for calves and lower feed protein allowances.

Gavin Tully is an organic tillage farmer near Camolin, Co Wexford. Niamh Murphy explains why he made the switch.