WHAT'S CHANGING
Know What's Coming
Policy updates, EU regulations, and technology shifts that affect Irish farms — translated into plain English before they land on your doorstep.
32 pieces — 30 articles, 2 guides
Articles
Tractor learner permits in Ireland: who needs a driving test from 1 November
New rules from 1 November end the endless renewal of tractor learner permits. Here is who on a fa…
Budget 2027: what changes on your farm, and when
Budget 2027 doubled the succession credit, lifted the VAT flat rate and deferred the green diesel…
The BISS active farmer test: how to check your own number
BISS depends on passing DAFM's active farmer check. The IFA wants the bar raised — here's your nu…
Zoned land tax in Ireland: the dates that decide your bill
Farming a field does not take it out of the zoned land tax. Here are the dates that matter.
ACRES NPI deadline: the last window for Tranche 1 farms
The 2026 NPI window shuts on 14 October. For Tranche 1 Co-operation farmers, it does not reopen.
Fertiliser closing stock: the count that keeps you legal
The shed count happens at 23.59 on 14 September. The declaration closes on 15 October, nil return…
Hedge removal rules: what a breach costs your BISS
Hedge cutting reopened on 1 September. Removal did not — and the two rules that catch farmers out…
Your well after the drought: what to check before it runs dry
Groundwater fell at every EPA monitored site in July. Your well feels that in September, not in A…
Winter fodder shortage 2026: the numbers for your county
The average Irish yard holds 4.1 months of winter feed and needs five. Here is your county.
Cattle supplies are 7% behind last year: what it changes for autumn
Throughput is 72,915 head behind 2025 and cow numbers are down 10%. Tighter supply supports price…
Water conservation order 2026: what it meant for Irish farms
The 2026 order was lifted on 16 September. What it covered, and the farm water checklist worth ke…
Nitrates derogation 2026: what changed, who's affected, and what you need to do now
The derogation survived to 2028 — with strings attached. The new limits, the grass-measuring rule…
Water Protection and AI: How Irish Farmers Can Document What They're Doing for ACRES, EPA, and Origin Green
Most Irish farmers doing the right thing on water protection have no evidence to show for it. Her…
Macra Land Mobility: prepare your farm succession questions
Prepare a brief and advisor questions for Macra's Land Mobility Service, using public sources and…
Electric tractors — where are we really? An honest review for Irish farms
Electric tractor headlines are everywhere. But can they actually do the work on an Irish farm? He…
AI Milk Analysis: What the Butterfat and Protein Numbers Mean for Your Co-op Cheque
Your co-op now knows more about your milk than ever — here's what that data means for you
Tirlán's Nurture Fund is backing these agri-tech startups — do any of them matter to your farm?
Tirlán's Nurture Fund is backing Irish agri-tech startups so farmers get tools that fit real farm…
Zero Chemical Nitrogen: How AI Tools Can Help You Farm with Less
Learn how AI planning tools can help you cut or eliminate chemical nitrogen — and what supports a…
Teagasc is building AI tools for your farm — here's what's coming and when
The EU AI Act is live — what it means for the apps on your phone right now
Save yourself a nasty surprise — what the 2026 CAP reform actually means for your payments
The 2026 CAP reform changes conditionality rules and payment ceilings — here's what shifts for Ir…
How Irish Co-ops Use AI to Set Your Milk Price — and What You Can Do About It
Irish co-ops now use AI-driven models to forecast milk prices and manage supply — here's what tha…
DAFM went digital — save yourself a wasted trip to the office on your next application
DAFM is moving applications online through agfood.ie — here's what works, what doesn't, and how t…
Track the cross-border cattle price gap without checking two sites every morning
The price gap between ROI and NI cattle plants shifts weekly — AI tools can track it so you don't…
Your farm will need a digital map by 2028 — here's what that actually means
EU regulations are pushing towards full digital mapping of all farmland by 2028 — here's what it …
Is Your Farm Behind on Digital? What EU Data Shows — and the Three Things Worth Doing Now
Eurostat figures show Irish farms trail Western Europe in digital tool adoption — that gap has re…
Better Grass Data: What Irish Farmers Can Learn From Northern Ireland's Monitoring Tools
Northern Ireland's grass monitoring tools generate farm-level data that AI tools can use — here's…
PastureBase Ireland 2026: plan grass with better data
The verified PastureBase Ireland tools and figures for 2026 — what the system records, what it pr…
Carbon calculators are coming for your farm — here's what they'll cost and what to do now
This week in farm AI: what's actually worth your attention
Three things from this week in farm AI — one useful, one to watch, one to ignore.
Guides
Step-by-step guides in this category.
AI and policy changes every Irish farmer should be tracking
From the EU AI Act to CAP reform to carbon reporting — the policy changes that will affect how yo…
What Irish farming looks like in 2030 — and what to do about it now
The trends that will reshape Irish farming in the next 4 years — and 3 things you can do today to…