Ulster Grassland Society hosts its 2026 annual conference

He said: “Many farmers are actually afraid of grass.

“The reality is that annual grass production rates of up to 11t of dry matter per hectare can be achieved on many farms

“However, utilisation rates can be down at around 5t in many instances.”

McCluggage made these comments while addressing the 2026 Ulster Grassland Society (UGS) annual conference.

He continued: “Climate Change may well act to boost grass production levels still further during the period ahead.

“So forage production is not the issue: harnessing it effectively is!”

According to the former CAFRE representative, food security will become a major political issue on the international stage during the period ahead.

He continued: “And Northern Ireland has a key role to play in this regard.

“Our tow most important natural resources are: an abundant supply of fresh water and a climate that is totally conducive to grass growth.

“Water availability is a key constraint for production agriculture in many countries: not so in this part of the world.”

According to Ian McCluggage the amount of productive land available to each person on the planet has fallen back from 0.5ha some 70 years ago to just 0.18ha today.

He further explained: “And this figure will probably drop down to 0.15ha by 2050.

“This reduction in land availability for food production purposes has been brought about by a number of factors.

“These include population growth and the need to acquire more land for housing and enhanced levels of infrastructure.

“Agriculture’s response to this challenge is clear: farmers must be able to produce more food per hectare using fewer inputs.

“These are the fundamentals of sustainability that will drive production agriculture into the future.”

But underpinning all of this will be the need for farmers to generate profits sufficient to allow them invest in the future of their businesses.

Ian McCluggae concluded: “Farmers cannot control international markets.

“But they can do so much to control cost levels within their businesses.

“Profitability has nothing to do with actual output levels but rather the margins that are made within a particular enterprise.

“So, for example, simply producing more milk at a loss makes absolutely no sense at all.

“This is why farmers must have a firm grip on their costs at all times.”

Beef and lamb prices to remain steady

Beef and lamb prices are projected to remain steady in 2026 after 12 months of extreme volatility.

This is according to Emma Nelson, senior livestock buying manager with the Morrisons supermarket group.

She spoke at the 2026 UGS annual conference adding: “A more predictable market will also help to stabilise supplied f beef and lamb within the retail sector.”

Nelson also confirmed that Morrisons had imported beef from Australia, prior to Christmas 2025.

She further explained: “The meat did sell at a lower price point than British beef. In part, this was due to the lower pack sizes involved.

“However, it is assumed that those consumers enjoying their beef eating experience in this way may well upgrade to British beef as they look to the future.”

Vertical integration from farm to shop within the Morrisons’ business is centred on the wholly integrated Myton Food Group food processing operation.

Emma Nelson again: “Working closely with our farmer-suppliers is at the heart of Morrisons’ retail commitment.

“We generate around 15M customer transactions very week.

“Where beef and lamb are concerned, the presence of our in-house butchery centres delivers very high levels of consumer confidence.

“The appearance of the food that we sell in our retail outlets is extremely important.

“Surveys have confirmed that the visuals associated with a food product have a greater influence than taste when it comes to consumers making a selection decision.”

According to Emma Nelson, farmers are the second most trusted professionals in the UK: doctors come in at number one in this listing.

She said: “We are strongly committed to the development of sustainable career opportunities for young farmers.”

Morrisons’ Elite Beef programme is a key driver of the supermarket’s commitment to consumers and farmers.

Courtesy of the scheme, reared calves sourced from dairy units are placed on to Elite Beef farms as reared calves until finishing.

Farmers are paid on the basis of live weight gain or an agreed price at slaughter.

The aim of the programme is to take the volatility out of beef production systems.

Where eggs are concerned, Morrisons work with a number of producer-suppliers in Northern Ireland.

This reflects the fact that avian influenza has impacted significantly on the production capacity of the poultry sector in Britain.

The Morrisons’ representative concluded: “Consumers have to feel fully connected to the food purchase they make.

“This reflects Morrisons’ commitment to a fully integrated supply chain.”

Call for the roll-out of a new bTB test

Incoming Ulster Grassland Society (UGS) president, Ivor Lowry has highlighted the significant challenges that bovine tuberculosis (bTB) continues to pose for agriculture in Northern Ireland.

He is calling for the introduction of a new and more effective disease identification test while also highlighting the need for greater numbers of licensed beef finishers, who can take in cattle from farms locked up with bTB.

Lowry made these points while addressing the recent 2026 UGS annual meeting

The farm manager at Blakiston Houston Estates has long standing experience of the very dramatic impact that bTB can have on a farm business.

He explained: “The dairy herd on the estate has been locked up with bTB for some time, so much so that we have developed our own dairy beef finishing project.”

And, as Ivor went on to point out, there is a silver lining to most clouds.

Courtesy of the new beef initiative, multi-species grazing swards have been established with a high degree of success.

Finished cattle are now coming through at 667 days of age with an average carcass weight of 335kg.

Ivor continued: “The use of Aberdeen Angus and Hereford sires ensures that the finished cattle are also eligible for the respective breed quality schemes.”

The Aghadowey native joined the team at Blakiston Houston Estates in 1989.

This followed a three-year period of employment at Greenmount College, where he had previously been student for four years.

Ivor further explained: “When I came to the estate, the herd was averaging 5,349L.

“Today that figure has risen to 8,307L.

“However, our commitment to secure as much milk from grass and forage remains unaltered.

“Back in 1989 fertiliser cost £87/t and compound feed could be purchased for £144/t.

“Today these respective figures have risen to £35 and £280.”

Since the autumn of 2024 Blakiston Houston Estate has been involved in Northern Ireland’s Sustainable Utilisation of Livestock Slurry (SULS) programme.

This entails the use of a mobile slurry separator, which currently visits up to 70 neighbouring farms in the North Down area.

The slurry solids produced are then brought back to the estate where they are used as feedstock for a biogas plant.

Removing solids frees up significant tank space on farms.

When used in a biogas operation, the slurry is being used to produce alternative green energy sources.

The SOLS programme has also been designed to create local nutrient sources for farm businesses, reducing their reliance in imported chemical fertilisers.

Ulster Grassland Society – a perspective

UGS was established in 1959.

Following the ending of the Second World War and a period of compulsory tillage there was a renewed interest in the management of pastures for optimum production and maximum profit.

A group of farmers agriculturalists and industrialists had the foresight to recognise the part thta a grassland society could play in creating the necessary enthusiasm to explore the natural attributes of grass as a crop in its own right.

The Society was established with the following objectives:-

- to encourage and support the adoption into farming practice of advances resulting from grassland research, experimental work and practical experience

- to provide opportunities for those interested in and concerned with grassland husbandry to meet and exchange information, ideas and experiences relating to all aspects of the management, production and utilisation of grass

to encourage the investigation of problems pertaining to grassland husbandry.

- to co-operate with any other organisation in furthering any of the objects of the society

- to admit to membership of the society persons concerned with or interested in the objects of the society.

Courtesy of its 500 plus members, UGS is one of the largest affiliate organisations linked to the British Grassland Society.

UGS organises regular visits to dairy, beef and sheep farm visits to discuss improvements in grass production and animal production efficiency.

During these visits there is the opportunity to see at first-hand how farmers are incorporating the latest technological changes into their grassland systems.

In addition, an annual conference is held in late January with eminent speakers from both the local and national scene.

The event provides the opportunity of keeping up to date with changes in the industry with an eye to the practical implications and it also provides a forum for research workers to review and discuss their current work.

A key driver for UGS is its hosting of the Grassland Farmer of the Year Competition which is open to all current UGS members and those who wish to join.

It is sponsored by Danske Bank.

UGS acts as a forum for those interested in the management and utilisation of grass and forage crops.

The organisation specifically encourages the adaption of the latest technologies, resulting from research, into farming practice.

Membership provides an opportunity to meet and discuss a wide range of relevant topics with fellow farmers, researchers and members of the wider industry.

Membership of UGS is open to those with a keen interest in grassland and the furtherance of the Society’s objectives.

The society has a student membership scheme which confers the benefits of membership free to full-time students taking Agricultural Courses at College or University, for the duration of their studies.