Irish agriculture always exported the bulk of its output. What has changed is the relative place of agriculture in Ireland and the perception of farming by the urban-based population. The majority of the world’s population now lives in an urban environment and farmers are subject to scrutiny in a new way.

In the mid-1990s, Paddy O’Keeffe, as chair of the Irish Farmers Journal, accepted with the board, a proposal that Ireland would apply to join the Nuffield organisation to provide farming scholarships for future farm leaders so that there would be a flow of knowledge and ideas into Irish agriculture. The final acceptance of Ireland into the broader Nuffield organisation took place at Guelph in Canada in 1996 after a few probationary years operating alongside the well-established UK body.

The Irish Farmers Journal carried out the administration of the new body with John Grogan, the Irish Farmers Journal company secretary, being the key figure.

After a few years, the Irish organisation was able to stand on its own feet as a fully fledged member of the international body.

With the continuing support from the IFA and FBD and, latterly, additional organisations, it has developed into a thriving melting pot of ideas and knowledge gained from international travel and an unrivalled network around the world.

Last Friday, Nuffield Ireland held its hugely well-attended annual conference at the FBD hotel in Castleknock, Dublin.

The areas covered by the speakers based on actual on-the-ground experience was impressive. An Irish audience was exposed to the most up-to-date thinking in the world on topics from cow welfare, to climate change, to the value in the marketplace for grass-fed food products.

As Ireland’s economic dependence on the multinational sector dominates much political thinking, it is important that the sustainability, in the broadest sense of Irish farming is analysed, weaknesses and strengths identified and action taken to solve problems before they derail an industry.

Nuffield conference: consumer stress gap and more funding for AgriAware

Plant-based foods have a higher carbon footprint than meat and dairy

Where can we learn from?

It is important that the sustainability, in the broadest sense of Irish farming is analysed, weaknesses and strengths identified and action taken to solve problems before they derail an industry.