Welcome to the official publication for Dairy Day 2025, showcasing the full line-up of speakers and exhibitors at this annual event organised by the Irish Farmers Journal for the dairy sector. First things first, this years’ event is moving to a new location and a new day – UL Sports Arena at the University of Limerick on Saturday 15 November.

We look forward to welcoming back the thousands of dairy farmers and industry representatives that come each year and welcoming new faces from the mid-west and beyond.

Dairy Day has evolved over the years to be a one-stop shop for dairy farmers, comprising a mix of thought-provoking fora and discussion with leading experts from Ireland and overseas and trade exhibitors showcasing the high value goods and services required to keep farms running.

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The dairy sector is at a junction. The first obstacle to navigate is the nitrates derogation. If farmers get a green light here they can carry on with the task of farming to a high standard and continue with their efforts to improve water quality and reduce greenhouse gasses.

A green light is not guaranteed and an amber or red light will mean the sector needs to change direction.

All of the analysis shows that a loss of the derogation will cost farmers significant sums, but it will also have huge implications for the wider sector, not least the dairy co-ops that rely on milk supply to run their factories.

Dairy commodity prices have come off their highs of the past 12 months. The drop in milk prices is beginning to bite hard, with the co-ops promising more milk price cuts.

Meanwhile, dairy farmers are having to navigate the changing climate leading to drier summers and more frequent grass deficits.

On top of this, new policies are going to force farmers to invest in more slurry storage in order to remain compliant.

The line-up of speakers and topics for discussion will address all of these issues and more. It is only by sharing their experiences and knowledge that others will learn, so we thank all of our speakers and panelists, particularly our farmer speakers.

Navigating the changes ahead won’t necessarily be easy, but every generation has had to deal with challenges and the current and future generations will be no different.

We can be proud of the achievements of past generations, particularly in the area of the milk processing and the establishment of co-ops. The vision of the past generations to invest in promoting grass fed dairy showed remarkable foresight.

As Lindsay Brady, president of Ornua Foods North America writes on pages 22 and 23, the grass-fed category in the US continues to grow.

What Lindsay doesn’t say is that the category is facing more threats from both Irish and international competitors.

The importance of grass-fed and being able to protect and defend the claims is critical for the industry’s long-term success.

By moving to higher input systems, farmers not only risk their farms financial viability, but it undermines the added value that grass-fed is currently generating from the market. Food for thought.

Finally, can I thank each of our sponsors, Bord Bia, NDC and Ornua for their support and for the support of the wider industry in making Dairy Day what it is.