Three-crop rule: The three-crop rule is in place for 2025. Remember this when sorting out your cropping plan. If you have less than 10ha of tillage you do not need to do anything. If you have between 10ha and 30ha of tillage then you need to grow at least two crops. The biggest of these crops cannot take up more than 75% of the tillage area. If you have over 30ha of tillage then you need to grow at least three crops. The biggest crop cannot take up more than 75% of the total area and the biggest two crops cannot take up more that 95% of the total area. Some farmers will plant 50% catch crops on their land to comply instead of growing two or three crops.

ACRES: A reminder that you can now, graze, cultivate or spray your catch crops planted under ACRES. Some may try and roll these crops in the frost. If grazing, make sure you are compliant with buffer zones and lie back rules.

Safety: Another reminder to take a look at some jobs around the farm to improve safety. Could you install lights in some places, are there parts needed for some machinery? Does a trailer need to be fixed? Now is the time of year to tackle some of these jobs before the busy season starts. Pick one or two jobs to get done in the coming weeks.

Soil sampling: Don’t forget to soil sample if you need an up-to-date set. You need to soil sample every four years for nitrates or else you cannot apply phosphorus or import slurry. Take a soil sample every 4ha or at least every 5ha for requirements. Laboratories will get busy as the spring goes on so it’s the earlier the better when it comes to taking soil samples.

Payments: Keep an eye out for payments from the Department. Check that you have received the BISS, the CRISS and the Eco Scheme Payments and anything else that is due. The Protein Aid Measure and Straw Incorporation Measure payments should have been made in December. If they have not arrived then check what the reason is. Some farmers may not have received the straw payment if they applied for the baling assistance payment. Those payments are supposed to be issued in the new year. Keep an eye on them all.

Tramlines: From the Tramlines will return to the Irish Farmers Journal in 2025. The page features tillage farmers each week and checks in with each approximately once a month to see what is happening on their farm.

We are looking for farmers across the country to take part in From the Tramlines in 2025. If you are interested in sharing your story then please let us know by emailing tillagenews@farmersjournal.ie or swalsh@farmersjournal.ie.

We will aim to get a spread of different farm sizes, crop rotations, tillage practices and regions in the country.

Happy New Year: Happy new year to all our readers. Keep safe over the coming season. That’s the main thing.