Farmer wins JFC innovation award

THE overall winner of the JFC Innovation Award for Rural Business is Ralph Haslam of Mossfield Organic Farm, Co Offaly.

The innovation awards for rural business are organised by Teagasc, the Farmers Journal and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Northern Ireland, and carry an overall prize fund of €36,000 in the form of cash, business mentoring and promotion.

Mr Haslam runs an organic dairy farm in Birr, Co Offaly and produces the award-winning Mossfield Organic Cheese. He receives a prize worth €15,000.

In addition to the overall award there were three category winners. Jack O’Connor, Biomass Heating Solutions, Kantoher, Co Limerick won the Environment and Energy category.

The Tourism/Value Added Food/Services award went to Lorna Robinson, Cloughbane Farm, Dungannon, Co Tyrone.

The winner of the Manufacturing/Technology category was Michael O Neill, Lickbarrahan, Beara, Co Cork.