Allen to chair final adjudication panel at Young Farmer Awards

MACRA NA FEIRME has announced that chef and television personality, Darina Allen, will chair the final adjudication panel at the Young Farmer of the Year Awards in Waterford on Tuesday.

The aim of this event, run by Macra, in partnership with the Irish Farmers Association and sponsored by FBD Insurance, is to recognise and reward the top young farmers in the country.

County rounds of the competition took place during June and July with 21 young farmers making it through to the final.

The finalists will be judged according to a number of criteria including farm business initiative and innovation, levels of farm efficiency and enterprise quality, farm safety and environmental protection awareness, as well as agricultural knowledge and community involvement.

Macra president, and former winner of the competition in 2003, Michael Gowing said getting the award was a great honour.

The young trained farmers who take part can inspire others to innovate, adopt best farming practices, compete effectively in a global market and meet the ever changing demands of today’s society.

The overall winner will be revealed at a special awards ceremony in the Tower Hotel, Waterford on Tuesday night.

Last year’s winner, William Keane, a dairy and beef farmer from Ardmore, Co Waterford, predicted at the time that there will be a positive future for farming in Ireland, especially dairying. But there will be significant changes in structures at farm gate and at the processing and marketing levels of the industry.