Cork grower emerges victorious in Glanbia Grain Awards
Dermot McAuliffe took the Malting Barley title in this year's Glanbia Grain Awards. File Picture.
Cork grain grower, Dermot McAuliffe who hails from Castlelyons, is among 12 winners in the Glanbia Ireland Grain Awards 2020.
Mr McAuliffe - who farms approximately 140ac of combinable crops adjacent to Castlelyons village along the banks of the River Bride - took the Malting Barley title after beating off stiff competition in the annual event.
He grows crops that include winter wheat, winter barley and spring malting barley.
Attention to detail is of paramount importance to Mr McAuliffe and due care is taken throughout the season to ensure the crops are grown to the best possible standard.
High soil fertility is a key area and the Co Cork farmer focuses on year after year to ensure the consistency of both grain yield and quality; all crops are established using a plough-based system.
Aside from farming, Mr McAuliffe is a passionate machinery enthusiast and also has a very keen interest in the equine industry.
His Glanbia agronomist is David Quinlan.
Meanwhile, competition was intense during this year’s event and Laois grain grower, John C Fletcher, claimed the Glanbia Ireland Grain supplier of the Year Award for 2020 as well as becoming the Seed Barley category champion.
The fourth generation farmer from Ballykillane outside of Portarlington was among 12 suppliers honoured for producing top-class native Irish grain.
He farms with his father, John growing winter crops of wheat, barley, oats and oilseed rape along with spring crops of malting barley, feed beans and oilseed rape.
He uses beans and oilseed rape as an entry crop to seed crops whenever possible.
Most are sown using a plough-based, establishment system.
“Rotation is key. We’re always trying to build fertility in the soil as we’re in continuous tillage,” added Mr Fletcher.
“2020 wasn’t a great year as drought got us very early on. "Yields were poor and were down about a half tonne an acre on 2019 levels.
“But thankfully the quality was good and price was better than previous years."
As well as tending to several hundred acres, the Laois farmer and his family also run a hardware and electrical contracting business which employs over 130 people.
A 25,000sq ft hardware retail store is currently under construction.
Glanbia Ireland chairman, John Murphy, congratulated the growers and pointed to their “excellence and attention to detail” which he added, “are recognised as central to the exceptionally high standards in the industry, as evidenced at the latest awards”.
“Grain farmers across Ireland continue to produce extremely high quality grains, albeit in very challenging weather conditions over the past number of years,” he continued.
“2020 was no different with 60% more than average rainfall and high winds wreaking havoc in the south and south east, particularly in August.
“Despite all of this, our award winners and their fellow growers excelled and have raised the bar even further this year.
“Production was down an estimated 18% nationally in 2020 but the outlook for 2021 looks promising.
“Forecasts look good, prices have increased and there's confidence that markets have strengthened and hopefully that the trend will continue.”
