The Irish Tillage and Land Use Society (ITLUS) is Irelands leading education and discussion forum for analysing the science of land utilisation and tillage crop production, including the economics and finances of various enterprises. Each year the Society organises a workshop or seminar in springtime, a summer field meeting to somewhere on the island of Ireland, and a topical conference in early December. In addition, every second year it organises a foreign study tour to experience agricultural production elsewhere in the world.

One such foreign study tour was to Ukraine in 2008, during which members of ITLUS visited farms and farming industries in locations such as Kiev, Zaporizhzha and the grain port in Mykolaiv. Apart from providing a significant learning opportunity, the tour is remembered for the exceptional hospitality and very warm welcome received by the group from our Ukrainian hosts.
 
With this in mind, and as a mark of solidarity to the Ukrainian people this harvest time, ITLUS Council is running a ‘Grain for Ukraine’ appeal to help to support the work of the Red Cross in Ukraine. We are asking members and friends from farming and non-farming backgrounds to take part by donating the cash equivalent of a ton, half ton, or even a small bucket of grain – any amount will help. We have set an ambitious target of €5,000. To get the ball rolling, we have donated €1,000 to the cause.