About Tom Tierney

Tom Tierney is a leading regenerative tillage farmer based near Prosperous, Co. Kildare on Ballinafagh Farm. Farming approximately 450 acres, his operation combines cereals, including barley, oats, wheat, beans, and oilseed rape, with 30 ac of continuous-cover forestry, 12 ac of conservation habitat, and dedicated wildflower margins . A long-standing member of BASE Ireland and a Teagasc Signpost Tillage Farmer, Tom adopted no-till direct drilling in 2015 after being inspired by New Zealand tech, and has now refrained from insecticide use for six years, describing the method as essential for enhancing above and below ground biodiversity. Tom also runs a side business selling Duncan Ag no-till drills under the Ballinafagh brand.

Tom is also noted for his innovative low-chemical approach to soil fertility: composting farm and imported manures, incorporating straw via the Straw Incorporation Measure, and producing homemade bio-stimulants using vermicompost extract, seaweed, molasses, and silica. He has also installed an Eddy-Covariance flux tower to monitor greenhouse gas flows and soil carbon, advancing on-farm research into climate mitigation.

At Fields Good, Tom will co-present “The Role of Soil Biology in Plant Nutrition” alongside Alistair Craig. He’ll discuss how embracing soil life changed his cropping systems and share some DIY recipes, like brews and fermentations for bolstering soil biology as part of a resilient, nature-first farming strategy.