The team at Liffey Mills held a very interesting debate on the future of agriculture in Nenagh last week.

Given that all Irish milk is now purchased through a co-op structure and the recent furore over the link to trading and milk supply in Dairygold, you would wonder how independent merchants survive at all.

However, it is very clear the team at Liffey Mills has a very loyal and informed customer base and is working hard to build bridges and relationships with farmers.

The meeting itself was attended by over 350 farmers from the Midlands. At the meeting, Professor Barbara Doyle from UCC suggested farmers need to inform their politicians and European parliamentarians that new science can’t be restricted if Irish and European farmers are to be viable going forward.

She suggested other countries are using tools like genome editing and European farmers need access to this science.

Goulding’s Liam Dunphy suggested farmer experience last year was going to turn a lot away from spreading protected urea.

National Cattle Breeding Centre boss Doreen Corridan said farmers need to use CBV as a tool to select purchased calves and cattle in 2025 as there is sufficient evidence to show it can distinguish between poor and better performing cattle.