The Dealer has picked up on news in the industry to learn that highly respected beef man Paul Crosson is converting to dairying. Co Cavan man Crosson has been a beef and suckler specialist based at Dunsany, Co Meath but is heading to LacPatrick (the name of the new Town of Monaghan / Ballyrashane co-op merger) to take up a sustainability role in Monaghan.

The timing of Crosson’s departure is far from ideal for the Authority with its Beef 2016 event taking place this Tuesday. It is bound to be the talk of Tuesday’s event.

There are unconfirmed reports of at least two other very senior staff in Teagasc heading for the door too. The rumours are that a very senior economist and a well-known adviser have announced their intention to depart but The Dealer will have more on that as it develops.

Teagasc has lost some big names in the past couple of years. Stan Lalor upped sticks and left for fertiliser company Grassland Agro in August 2014 while Rogier Schulte is expected to depart in the autumn. Padraig O’Kiely has also retired in recent times.

Is it sign of the future for Teagasc and other similar bodies? How can they compete with the lure of the private sector?