Offaly farmer is winner of organic farming category in major national awards

THE winner of the Organic Farming Category of the Sustainable Grassland Farmer of the Year Awards is Ken Gill from Edenderry.

The Overall winner of the Sustainable Grassland Farmer of the Year 2024 is Michael Ahern from Ballyduff, County Waterford.

The Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Noel Grealish T.D. presented the Sustainable Grassland Farmer of the year awards today, Friday, 20 June at the Teagasc Animal and Grassland, Research and Innovation centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, County Cork.

The Sustainable Grassland Farmer of the Year award recognises the best grassland farmers in the country and is now in its eight year. These farmers are growing and utilising more grass on their farms, contributing to sustainable livestock production systems. The awards are supported by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with an overall prize fund of €40,000.

The Sustainable Grassland Farmer of the Year awards are part of the Teagasc Grass10 Campaign which is supported by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Teagasc, AIB, FBD, Grassland Agro and the Irish Farmers Journal. The Grass10 programme focuses on promoting efficient nutrient management, high grass/clover pastures, routine grass measurement and overall good grassland management.

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Farmer Category winners:

Dairy Category Winner: Arthur Sweetman, Carrig-on-Bannow, Co Wexford

Drystock Category Winner: Peter Byrne, Castledermot, Co. Kildare

Young Farmer Category Winner: Shane Hegarty, Leighlinbridge, Co. Carlow

Organic Farming Category Winner: Ken Gill, Edenderry, Co. Offaly

Nutrient Management Category Winner: Michael Ahern, Ballyduff, Co. Waterford

Clover Category Joint Winner: Robert, Denis & Bernard O’Dea, Kilteely, Co. Limerick

Finalist: Joseph Murphy, Bennetsbridge, Co. Kilkenny

Student Section

Student Category Winner: Edmund Motherway, Kildalton College

Student Category Finalist: Jack Stevenson, Ballyhaise College

Student Category Finalist: Luke Hosford, Clonakilty College

Student Category Finalist: Donal Lyons, Pallaskenry College

Student Category Finalist: David Cassells, Mountbellew College

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Congratulating the grassland farmers and students, Professor Frank O’ Mara, Teagasc Director said: “It’s clear you and your families are all doing an excellent job on your farms, in terms of high levels of grassland management, running excellent farm enterprises. I congratulate you on your achievements in this year’s awards.”

Chair of the Grass10 Committee, John Macnamara said; “Well done to all the farmers, students and their families here today. It gives me great pleasure to congratulate you all. You are the best grassland farmers. This is the All Ireland title for grassland farmers. You can be proud of being here today.”

Aidan Brennan, Irish Farmers Journal spoke on behalf of the competition judges. He thanked the farmers for entering the competition and for hosting the judges for the visits to their farms. He said: “we were impressed with the levels of grass management and reviewed the performance of the grass swards over a number of years. The use of clover has increased, and farmers are making better use of nutrients produced on the farm.”

The judging panel for the Sustainable Grassland Farmer of the Year competition consisted of Liz Hyland/Jonathan Flynn DAFM, John Maher, Teagasc Grass10; John Farrell, AIB; Colin Heaney, FBD; John O’Loughlin, Grassland Agro; Aidan Brennan, Irish Farmers Journal.