21 vie for FBD Young Farmer of Year title

THE FBD Young Farmer of the Year who will be named next week is likely to be a well-qualified part-timer, strongly involved in IFA and Macra and the local community.

Among the 21 young farmers in the competition Tomas Beades has an honours degree in accountancy, and helps his father run the family’s suckler, sheep and poultry farm at Athlone. He is the chairperson of his local Macra and IFA branches.

Shay Concannon is a 33-year-old dairy, suckler and beef farmer from Claregalway, Co Galway. He has changed from solely dairy farming, and is a master farmer, involved in training farm apprentices.