Wexford tillage farmer becomes overall winner at this year's Environmental Sustainability Award
Pictured (L to R): Professor Frank O’Mara, Teagasc Director; Michael Berkery, FBD; Timmy Dooley TD; Don Somers, Overall Winner; Gillian Somers; and Tom O’Dwyer, Teagasc.
Don Somers, a tillage farmer from Oylgate, Co Wexford, was announced as the overall winner of the Teagasc-FBD Environmental Sustainability Award 2025.
The awards, sponsored by FBD, were presented in Laois by minister of state at the Department of Agriculture and Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, Timmy Dooley.
The total prize fund of €30,000 was presented to six category winners:
- Reducing greenhouse gas emissions;
- Enhancing biodiversity;
- Improving water quality;
- Improving soil health;
- Organic production;
- Diversification.
Speaking at the awards, the minister of state congratulated all the finalists in the awards, saying: “You are a great example of what farmers, as custodians of the land, do to protect and enhance the environment. I’m impressed by the standard of the finalists, and the efforts being made by these farm families to address the environmental challenge while continuing to produce high-quality food.”
The overall winner, Don Somers, who works alongside his uncle Jim on the 183-hectare tillage farm, manages the diverse crop rotation of oilseed rape, winter wheat, winter barley, spring barley, spring oats and some combination crops of peas and beans.
On the farm, there is a focus on soil health, water quality, biodiversity and reducing chemical inputs through crop rotation, organic manure and precision technology.
The judges praised his clear understanding of sustainable farming, innovative use of modern tools, and a proactive approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, protecting the River Slaney and local biodiversity.
Professor Frank O’Mara, Director of Teagasc, said: “Don Somers is a worthy winner for this award, operating a profitable farm system while at the same time protecting the environment around his farm. Each finalist in this awards programme should be very proud of the contribution they are making to environmental sustainability while continuing to produce high-quality food for the consumer here and abroad.
"The industry has made progress, and Teagasc will continue to work with farmers to further improve environmental sustainability. The agri-sector needs all farmers and all involved in the sector to firmly focus on improving water quality, reducing emissions, and enhancing biodiversity as a key part of the journey to a more competitive and resilient sector.”
Award winners for each category were:
- Patrick and Margaret Dollard, dairy-beef farmers from Kilkenny in the ‘Reducing greenhouse gas emissions’ category;
- Tom Tierney, a tillage farmer from Kildare in the ‘Enhancing biodiversity’ category;
- Don Somers, for his effort in ‘Improving water quality’;
- Conor O’Brien, a dairy farmer from Galway with his improvement of soil health;
- Kay O’Sullivan, an organic beef and sheep farmer from Cork in the ‘Organic production’ category;
- and Emer O’Keeffe, another organic beef and sheep farmer from Cork awarded for her work on diversification.
The other finalists who attended the awards and received a certificate were James Madigan, Keith and Brian Meredith, David Kerr, Mark Lonergan, J.P. Hammersley, John O’Connell, and Olivia Hynes.
