Fears about the future availability of some pesticides were to the fore among tillage farmers at the Irish Farmers Journal From the Tramlines walk on the farm of Martin Hoste near Kilbride, Co Meath, on Thursday 4 July.

Brian Ovington, Athy, Co Kildare

"This year, in terms of crop growing, has been good and I am hopeful that grain yields will be good, even though a considerable amount of disease pressure is present,” he said.

He said he has already forward sold 50% of his grain.

According to Brian, the most worrying issue in the tillage sector at the moment is losing a range of fungicides, where growing crops in the future may get more difficult.

Philip Jenkinson, Lusk, Co Dublin

According to Philip, crops are looking good this year, with disease control working well, apart from grass weeds such as brome and wild oats.

However, he added that "the loss of chemicals [herbicides and fungicides] is particularly worrying”.

In terms of the future of the industry, “the world has to be fed, we need grains to feed cattle, pigs, poultry and ourselves. There has to be a future, the question is will it be profitable?”

Patrick Dehaene, Oldtown, Co Dublin

The Dublin grower says it been slightly more expensive than other years in terms of disease control, but hopefully the benefits will be reaped.

He added that crops are “looking pretty good at the moment and a lot better than last year".

He is concerned with the loss of certain chemicals and also imported grain substitutes, which have little or no traceability.

He says the range of chemicals available to tillage farmers is also going to be a huge challenge in future.

Gavin Curran, Drogheda, Co Meath

Gavin Curran said it has been a very easy year to get work done and crops are looking well.

The Meath grower says that his biggest concerns currently are the banning of chlorothalonil and the Mercosur deal.

"You would be a wise man to predict the future of the sector, so as farmers we just keep working away and hope for the best.”

Gavin Curran, third left, and Tom Lawlor, second left. / Philip Doyle

Tom Lawlor, Drogheda, Co Meath

"This year hasn’t been too bad so far, where crops aren’t looking too bad, although more dirt and weeds are present this year compared to others,” said Lawlor.

He added that farmers are more restricted all the time in terms of the products they can use on farm.

He said a major concern is the importation of grain substitutes, which have little or no traceability.

The grower added that it is very hard to know where tillage farmers are going and, from a chemical point of view, it’s becoming tougher and tougher all the time.

Alex Butler, Mullingar, Co Westmeath

Ken and Alex Butler from Mullingar listen to Dermot Forristal's demonstration. \ Philip Doyle

Grower Alex Butler says winter barley crops are two weeks later than they were last year.

His biggest fear in the sector currently is grain price.

He says that everything else comes second; you can grow crops without a lot of chemicals, but if the price is wrong, it limits farmers in what they can produce.

He believes time management is going to be a huge challenge in the future.

"Trying to get crops in at the optimum time is becoming increasingly difficult with ever-changing weather conditions.”

Alex also says consumer perception is going to be more relevant in the future.

Also, in terms of chemical usage, farmers need to educate people about what tillage farmers are doing.

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