Conan Moynihan - Agribusiness Coach

23/06/2026

Does wearable tech on farms pay for itself?

In the latest episode of From the Soil Up Podcast, I chat to David March from Theland Group about his Kellogg Report looking into the financial returns from wearable tech in dairy farming.

Some of what we covered:
🔹 Infrastructure comes before the device. A wearable is only as good as the system feeding and using its data
🔹 Value is farm-specific. The same tech can transform one operation and sit useless on another, depending on what you're actually trying to fix.
🔹 The law of diminishing returns is real. At a point, another investment in tech adds cost and complexity, not profit.
🔹 We touch on virtual fencing, behavioural monitoring, and how wearables are showing up in mating decisions

If you're considering wearable tech this season this is well worth the listen:

Are wearables worth the investment on your farm? David March breaks down the real ROI of wearable technology in agriculture covering infrastructure needs, animal health monitoring, virtual fencing, and how to know if the data is actually worth paying for.In this episode, David shares insights from h...

22/06/2026

Week 1 in the UK in pics 🇬🇧

21/06/2026

It’s been a great first few days in the UK.

Few things I’m noticing so far:
- farms are more diversified
- there is much more integration of nature
- everyone has been super open and happy to show me round and connect me with other farmers

Looking forward to showing you more over the next few weeks.

15/06/2026

Some of your biggest costs on farm might not actually be showing up on your financial spreadsheet.

We often focus on the obvious costs:
💰 Fertiliser
💰 Feed
💰 Animal health
💰 Machinery
💰 Labour

But what about the hidden costs of a system that is losing natural capital over time?

Soil biology, nutrient cycling, water holding capacity, pasture resilience and ecosystem function are all assets that compound over time, just like financial investments.

When we degrade these systems, the cost often shows up later through:
❌ Higher input dependency
❌ Lower resilience
❌ Increased risk
❌ More pressure on profitability

Biological function is not a cost. It is an investment in the future productive capacity of your farm.

The question is: are we managing for short-term output, or long-term profitability?

11/06/2026

Farmers spend their lives looking after their land, livestock, and businesses…

But one of the most important assets on the farm is often overlooked:
The farmer.

In the latest episode of From The Soil Up, I chatted with Storm Baines Ryan, physio and sheep & beef farmer, to talk about something that doesn’t get enough attention in agriculture: Farmer health and resilience.

For generations, farming culture has celebrated pushing through pain and “getting the job done”. While that mindset has helped build incredible resilience in our industry, it can also come at a cost when we ignore the warning signs from our bodies.

We explored:
🌱 Why ignoring injuries can impact long-term health
💪 Why strength training is one of the best investments farmers can make
🥩 The role of nutrition and protein in performance and recovery
🧠 The importance of conversations around mental health and burnout
🚜 Why your body is critical infrastructure for your farming business

A healthy farmer is better positioned to make good decisions, lead their team, care for their family, and build a profitable, resilient farming future.

What happens when farmers ignore pain, injuries, and their own well-being for years on end?In this episode, Conan sits down with farming physio and sheep and beef farmer Storm Baynes-Ryan to discuss farmer health, physical resilience, injury prevention, strength training, nutrition, and mental well-...

11/06/2026

Had a great couple of days at the Organic Dairy & Pastoral Group NZ conference in Cambridge this week.

Plenty of gold shared on stage and always great to catch up plus meet new people.

There’s a lot of cool stuff happening in the space and plenty to learn. I’ve got a heap of studies to read that were shared during presentations 😅

Looking forward to the same event being over in Victoria next year!

07/06/2026

A “perfect” soil test doesn’t automatically mean your plants can access all the nutrients they need.

Most soil tests only measure the nutrients that are considered plant-available at the time of sampling. They often don’t tell the full story of the potential nutrient reserves stored within the soil itself.

Think of it this way: the soil can be full of nutrients, but if the biological engine isn’t running, many of those nutrients remain locked away and unavailable to plants.

This is where soil biology becomes critical.

Microbes, fungi, earthworms, and other soil organisms drive natural nutrient cycling. They help convert nutrients from unavailable forms into plant-available forms, creating a more resilient and self-sustaining system.

When biological function is thriving:
✅ Nutrient cycling improves
✅ Fertiliser efficiency increases
✅ Plant health and resilience improve
✅ Input dependency can decrease
✅ Profitability often follows

The most profitable farming systems don’t just focus on what nutrients are present in the soil. They focus on building the biological function that unlocks those nutrients and keeps them cycling naturally.

01/06/2026

Most farmers have a vision for where they want their business to be in 5, 10, or 20 years.

The challenge isn’t usually having a vision.

It’s turning that vision into action.

That’s where SMART goals approach come in.

✅ Specific – What exactly are you trying to achieve?
✅ Measurable – How will you know if you’re making progress?
✅ Achievable – Is it realistic with the resources you have?
✅ Relevant – Does it align with your long-term vision?
✅ Time-bound – When will it be completed?

A vision without goals is just a dream.

A goal without action is just a wish.

The most successful farm businesses break their long-term vision into annual, quarterly, and monthly goals that can be measured and reviewed.

Want to improve profitability?
Set a target.

Want to increase pasture utilisation?
Set a target.

Want to improve soil health, reduce debt, or create more time off-farm?
Set a target.

Small, consistent actions compounded over time create extraordinary results.

Where do you want your farm business to be in 10 years, and what SMART goal can you set today to start moving in that direction?

31/05/2026

You can’t expect peak performance from your machinery if you fill it with poor-quality fuel.

The same applies to you.

As farmers, we spend a lot of time focusing on feeding our livestock and crops, but often neglect the most important asset on the farm: ourselves.

The reality is that your energy, focus, decision-making, resilience, and physical performance are all heavily influenced by what you eat and drink.

Whole foods provide the nutrients your body needs to function optimally. Quality protein supports recovery and muscle maintenance. Fruit and vegetables provide essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Healthy fats and complex carbohydrates provide sustained energy throughout the day.

Hydration is equally important.

Even mild dehydration can reduce concentration, increase fatigue, and impact physical performance. If you’re spending long days outdoors, working hard, and making important decisions, staying hydrated isn’t optional, it’s essential.

The best farmers understand that high performance starts with looking after themselves.

Your farm will only ever perform as well as the person managing it.

28/05/2026

I’m fortunate to get to be speaking in front a range of groups while in the UK in the next few weeks.

One area I’m always trying to improve on is how I present and speak as I feel this is an invaluable tool to be able to transfer knowledge and experience plus challenge people’s thinking.

I’m keen to hear what people find is most engaging when someone is presenting or running a workshop to see what I can incorporate into mine going forward.

Let me know in the comments 👇