County has three finalists in FBD Better Farming Awards

Three finalists from County Roscommon will compete in this year’s FBD Better Farming Awards.

The awards honour the highest levels of achievement made in the industry’s move towards a more sustainable sector.

The Roscommon finalists are: Germinal Sustainable Pasture Farmer of the Year, Peadar and Aoife Coyle, Curraghboy; Cormac Tagging Community/Discussion Group Incentive Scheme, Uí Maine Kingdom, Karst Farming and Herdwatch Biodiversity Farmer of the Year, Liam Kildea.

For Peadar and Aoife Coyle, maintaining optimal grazing infrastructure is a key element to their farm system enabling good grassland management and reducing the labour requirement. Optimum soil fertility provides the foundation for positive grass growth on the farm through regular soil testing to monitor key indicators.

Ui Maine Kingdom highlights the very valuable South Roscommon karst landscape in terms of agricultural, biodiversity and social practices in the area. The group is raising awareness for sustainable farming practices aimed at preserving the unique and valuable native grassland and turlough habitats of South Roscommon.

Liam Kildea and his family have farmed in South Roscommon for several generations. Over the last five years, Liam has become a leader in the local community by co-ordinating biodiversity and ecological surveys of the rocks, raising awareness of the habitats with politicians (local, national and European) and among farmers and the general community.

The awards reward initiatives, research and practices that are helping Irish agriculture meet its economic, social and environmental challenges. They go beyond the headlines to recognise the real difference achieved by those who have excelled in various areas of agriculture.

The inaugural Better Farming Awards gala evening presentations will take place in the Heritage Hotel, Killenard, Laois on Thursday, November 30th.