Offaly suckler farmer wins major national environmental award

KEN GILL was announced as the Teagasc / FBD Environmentally Sustainable Farmer of the Year 2024 Enhancing Biodiversity category winner at the awards ceremony recently in county Laois.

The awards, kindly sponsored by FBD, were presented to five enterprise winners: dairy, suckler beef, dairy beef, sheep, and tillage, and  to four category winners: reducing greenhouse gas emissions, enhancing biodiversity, improving water quality and improving soil health and carbon sequestration. 

Ken Gill farms full time in Clonbullogue.  A full symbol organic producer, Ken operates a suckler to beef system with 70 Autumn calving suckler cows. All progeny are brought to beef with the aim to finish them at 24 months. 100% A.I. is used to avail of the best genetics available. 

Being organic means that crop rotation is vital to ensure the continued health of the soil and to aid weed suppression in new swards. Oats are grown for sale into the organic breakfast market. Red clover for quality silage and Winter fodder crops are also sown in certain areas of the farm. The farm is 95 hectares in one large block all of which is owned. Soil type on the farm is grey brown podzolic and soil texture is silty clay loam. There is currently 22 Ha of forestry on his farm. 12.5 Ha of semi-natural woodland that was under planted with oak, 4.85 Ha of oak planted in 1998, 3.3 Ha under the Native Woodland Scheme.

Ken is strong believer in space for nature and that this does not have to compromise commercial viability. Ken has always farmed with this approach and the abundance and quality of habitats on the farm reflect this.

Large mature trees and healthy hedgerows throughout the farm provide an abundance of food and shelter resources for wildlife. Ken is a great advocate for the importance of hedgerow management and the huge difference that wildlife sensitive management can make. The hedgerows are cut in rotation every 2 – 3 years and allowed to flower. The margins are fenced and being organic are free from pesticides and herbicides providing additional resource rich habitat.

The farm is also a survey site for the National Pilot Pollinator Monitoring Scheme facilitating 5 survey visits over the summer months. Ken has enjoyed learning about pollinators and especially the importance of providing the pollinator friendly habitats. He has gained a strong an appreciation, in particular, for the value of field margins and for the positive impact of management choices he has made. The margins, bases of hedgerows and earth banks are all free from pesticides and provide great natural nesting sites for pollinators. Ken’s farm provides a great example of a successful farm that also allows nature to thrive alongside agriculture.

After winning the award Ken commented ‘‘I'm absolutely delighted to win this award. It's a very welcome acknowledgement of the positive effects of working to manage the land for profitability, sustainability and biodiversity. Many thanks to Teagasc and FBD’’

Tom Kellegher Teagasc Regional Manager said ‘Enhancing Biodiversity is a key focus of the organic suckler beef system that Ken operates and demonstrates that this goes hand in hand with all the key KPI targets being achieved in his profitable system.”

On behalf of the overall sponsor of the Awards, Michael Berkery, Chairman of FBD Trust said; "These inaugural Teagasc / FBD Environmental Sustainability Awards highlight farmers’ commitment to environmental sustainability. We are proud to support these awards which recognise farmers who are making real strides in sustainability.”

Professor Frank O’Mara, Director of Teagasc said; “This award is a wonderful celebration of the progress farmers have made, and are making, to improve environmental sustainability on their farms while continuing to produce high quality, nutritious food, in a profitable manner.  Congratulations to all finalists and award winners.  The agri-sector needs all farmers and all involved in the sector to firmly focus on improving water quality, reducing emissions, and enhancing biodiversity. The 16 finalists in these awards are excellent ambassadors for what is being done on family farms around the country.’’

Congratulating Ken on this great achievement local Teagasc advisor Paul Gibney said ‘‘It’s really important that farmers generally are recognised for the important and oftentimes unseen work they undertake on behalf of the environment. When fields, hedgerows, streams & woodlands are improved in their value to nature this benefits everyone. After the improvements Ken made to the biodiversity of his farm over the last while, this award is nothing less than he deserves. Congratulations to Ken and family.”

Future Beef advisor Aisling Molloy commented ‘‘I am thrilled that Ken and his family’s passion and dedication to enhancing biodiversity on their farm has been recognised nationally. He is an excellent example of a profitable and sustainable suckler beef farm and we are delighted to have him in the Future Beef programme.’’

The overall Teagasc / FBD Environmentally Sustainable Farmer of the Year 2024 was awarded to John and Brendan Walsh Ballylooby in County Tipperary.  They are operating an efficient and profitable dairy farm, while at the same time both John, Brendan and the rest of the family are passionate about looking after the environment.  Shane & Gráinne Keaveney, Ballybane, Ballinlough, Co. Roscommon were announced as the Teagasc / FBD Environmentally Sustainable Farmer of the Year 2024 suckler beef enterprise category winners at the awards ceremony

The other award winners in the Teagasc / FBD Environmental Sustainability Awards were:

Enterprise winners:

John and Brendan Walsh - Dairy

Aidan Maguire, Meath – Dairy Beef

Shane Keaveney, Roscommon – Suckler Beef

Brian Nicholson, Kilkenny – Sheep

Tom Barry, Cork – Tillage

Category Winners:

Edwin Thompson, Tipperary (Dairy) – Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Ken Gill, Offaly (Suckler beef) – Enhancing Biodiversity

Martin Crowe, Limerick (Dairy) – Improving Water Quality

James O’Keeffe, Meath (Organic Tillage) – Improving Soil Health and Carbon

Other Finalists:

Alan and Cheryl Poole, Wexford (Dairy); Blatnaid Gallagher, Galway (Sheep); Eamon and Donnchadh McCarthy, Waterford (Suckler Beef); Shane Fitzgerald, Waterford (Dairy); Richard Starrett, Donegal (Dairy); John Murphy, Cork (Dairy Beef) and Michael McGuigan, Meath (Suckler Beef).