8:02pm

We conclude this live blog with the winners from today's competition classes. Don't miss our video wrap of day two later tonight and see you here tomorrow for the last day of Ploughing 2016!

  • FARMERETTE CONVENTIONAL - Laura Grant, Offaly
  • MACRA 2-FURROW CONVENTIONAL - William Kehoe, Wexford
  • SENIOR HORSE CLASS - Gerry Reilly, Galway
  • VINTAGE 2 FURROW MOUNTED CLASS - Paddy Doyle, Wicklow

    • 7:53pm

    7:02pm

    The Irish Angus Producer Group, ABP and Kepak have presented animals to the school students selected for their calf rearing competition. We'll have all the details tomorrow at www.farmersjournal.ie

    6:50pm

    The National Ploughing Association reports that 110,000 visitors crossed the gates of the Ploughing today, breaking another record.

    6:12pm

    On his visit today, An Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said that the government was considering "assistance and support" for tillage farmers hit by poor weather during this year's harvest. Read more here.

    6.10pm

    6.05pm

    An Taoiseach Enda Kenny jumped into plenty of photos today!

    6.00pm

    Check out our snaps in the rain:

    5.55pm

    5.18pm

    NPA recovery trucks roaring into action here now to rescue cars that are well and truly stuck in the mud! Looks like the weather has taken its toll on the ground conditions here in Screggan.

    5.16pm

    It''s all happening down on the Angus stand now!

    5.13pm

    4.57pm

    Minister for Health joins the rest of the politicians here today at the ploughing. Although the Dealer said he has been reliably informed that Harris is due back in Wicklow town tonight to present awards at East Glendalough school.

    4.48pm

    No rest for the wicked, Agri Aware''s new CEO Deirdre O''Shea is busy on the Agri Aware stand at the Ploughing.

    4.37pm

    4.33pm

    Teagasc has announced that it will provide a service to families affected by farm accidents to assist them cope in the immediate aftermath called the The Tragic Event Service for Family Farms (TESFF).

    4.17pm

    Brexit is a serious issue for the agricultural industry and An Taoiseach Enda Kenny said that in his view "we do need an all island process of having the food views of all Ireland in this because of the Commissions in the republic and Northern Ireland. So believe me, this is not going to be an easy situation but I see real opportunity here. I see opportunity for the 27 member. With a population of 480 million the European Union should be striking forward as to where it wants to be in 10 to 20 years time in setting down the standards for world trade."

    4.13pm

    Speaking at the ploughing, An Taoiseach Enda Kenny, acknowledges the income crisis on farms.

    "Minister Creed and Minister Doyle are working in very close unison with the farming organisations and together with the European Commissioner to see what can be given to help farmers," Kenny said. "I know they’ve been meeting with the finance institutions, the banks and the European Commission in respect of the many challenges that are there right across the entire spectrum. It is an area that is central to our economy, obviously of great importance to our Government."

    4:11pm

    Rural Affairs Minister Heather Humphreys tells us revising hedgecutting and burning dates is a priority for her as the Oireachtas session resumes next week.

    4:02pm

    Are you using Pasturebase or AgriNet? The two online grass-measuring services have announced at the Ploughing that they will merge next year. Read more here.

    3:50pm

    Minister for Social protection Leo Varadkar tells us that the review of the Farm Assist scheme promised under the programme for government is now complete. Decisions will only be announced on Budget day, though.Read more here.

    3:30pm

    The rain is no match for the dedication of Ploughing jivers.

    3pm

    Hate to say it, but it''s lashing.

    2:49pm

    Dovea Genetics has raised €16,100 in its charity auction this afternoon at the Ploughing. The highest bid was on a 575kg Limousin X heifer, which was bought by the Irish Limousin Cattle Society for €3,400. The next best seller was a Belgian Blue heifer weighing 590kg that went for €2,700 to Ashbourne Meats and the Irish Belgian Blue producer group.

    Other cattle auctioned included an Angus, Hereford, Simmental and Charolais cross. All money raised for this auction will go to Bóthar.

    Earlier today, Agriculture Minister Michael Creed presented a €4,000 cheque to Cycle Against Suicide Ireland on behalf of Angus Beef Ireland and the five meat proccessor (photo below).

    2:43pm

    Our farmer writer Tommy Moyles has just taken part in a panel discussion with other young farmers on the AIB stand. He writes that there is no reason why drystock farmers should be seen as less financially astute than dairy or poultry ones - but it''s up to them to show they can run profitable businesses. Read more here.

    2:36pm

    The political blitz continues - this time with Minister for Social Protection Leo Varadkar.

    2:28pm

    The latest snaps from our photographers - browse the picture gallery above for more photos and full caption details.

    2:18pm

    To all of you who came to the Ploughing laden with raincoats and umbrellas, now is your chance to say "I told you so".

    2:09pm

    We''ve met British farmers from the National Farmers Union visiting the Ploughing today. They warn that the Brexit process will be "long and tortuous". This can''t be good news for Irish farmers, but it will also be the "biggest challenge to face UK farming since 1947", according to the British delegation. Read more here and list to an interview with Charles Sercombe, NFU livestock board chair, and John Royle, NFU chief livestock editor in our podcast below.

    2:03pm

    Our last demo had a surprise guest in the person of Agriculture Minister Michael Creed, who took questions on Brexit, export markets and the new sheep scheme.

    1:57pm

    Our next livestock demonstration is about to start on the Irish Farmers Journal stand. Get extra technical information on the animals discusse at farmersjournal.ie/demos

    1:40pm

    There''s all kinds of business going on at the Ploughing.

    1:26pm

    What do you think?

    1.25pm

    Don''t forget that Neven Maguire gives a cooking demonstration on the Irish Farmers Journal stand at 11am, 1pm and 3pm every day of the Ploughing.

    12:56pm

    Westmeath footballer and farmer John Heslin is taking over our Snapchat from 1pm. Our username is farmersjournal.

    12:49pm

    As always...

    12:42pm

    While Enda Kenny inspects the field, amazing ploughmen compete in the noble art of the horse class.

    12:30pm

    An Taoiseach has arrived at the National Ploughing Championships, and so has the rain.

    12:20pm

    More politicians descending on Ploughing 2016.

    Health Minister Simon Harris is on site too, and An Taoiseach Enda Kenny is expected any minute now. Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams will also be here later today.

    12:10pm

    We''ve got our hands on the new €50 note, shown to the Irish public for the first time at the Ploughing. Stefanie Van Delft of the European Central Bank told us it would go into circulation next year with new security features against counterfeiting. Read more here.

    12.02pm

    The Screggan site has filled up steadily all morning, now looking about as packed as yesterday.

    11:54am

    Time for our second livestock demo on the Irish Farmers Journal stand in a few minutes. Read more here on the suckler maternal breeding section of the demo.

    11:27am

    Time for an update from our photographers. Browse the picture gallery above for more photos and full caption details.

    10:59am

    Agriculture Minister Michael Creed tells us more about the meeting of the tillage forum he announced when arriving at the Ploughing this morning. He wants to hear from everyone in the sector and see what can be done to help grain growers after a difficult harvest, but he warns that he has "no panacea". This is because each country is constrained in what it can do in the absence of an EU-wide agreement to support tillage farmers.

    "It''s a very difficult area because around the Council of Agriculture Ministers'' table, there''s nobody standing up and jumping up and down about the tillage side, unlike there was for example around the dairy side, and where there is, that cumulative level of action on account of agriculture ministers you get the consequent packages that we got."

    Listen to an interview with Minister Creed in our podcast below:

    10:44am

    This morning''s Irish Farmers Journal breakfast briefing gave industry leaders and our specialists a chance to meet and discuss the hot issues in agriculture and food. Irish Farmers Journal editor Justin McCarthy stressed the uncertainty facing the sector, with beef market specialist Phelim O''Neill and dairy editor Jack Kennedy both insisting on the need to develop Asian and other export markets to balance Brexit risks.

    IFA president Joe Healy said the first milk price rise in three years was welcome, but beef farmers were most uncertain about the near future while growers were severely hit by low prices.

    Read more here.

    10:22am

    Ready to place your bets? Pig racing is on!

    10:12am

    Meet Tom Carrigan who won the overall Innovation Arena award yesterday for his Eurotec bale chaser, which self-loads 16 round bales and offloads them in a neat stack.

    10:06am

    Outside the Ploughing site, farming life continues in Screggan...

    9:57am

    Our first livestock demonstration of the day is about to begin on the Irish Farmers Journal stand. Follow the links to get more technical from the and beef demos.

    9:52am

    We told you this would be a big day for politicians...

    9:45am

    There''s a strong Kiwi presence on the Ploughing this year as we reported ahead of the event. Irish Farmers Journal reporter Aisling Hussey met Seaver Izatt of the New Zealand trade commission on the country''s stand, listen to the interview in our podcast below:

    9:22am

    Some early shots from our photography team.

    9:10am

    Agriculture Minister Michael Creed has arrived at the Ploughing. He has announced the establishment of a tillage forum to discuss the plight of struggling grain growers. Read more about this here.

    9:00am

    Welcome to day two of Ploughing 2016. At first sight, crowds will be smaller today, with easy traffic going into the site this morning. If you have yet to make up your mind, now is a good time to come!