Wexford farmers receive 2025 Pasture Progress Award

Wexford farmer Liam Rochford has won the 2025 overall Pasture Progress Award, beating other county winners for the title.

Minister Noel Grealish and the Overall Winner of the Pasture Progress Award 2025 is Liam Rochford from Croase, County Wexford.

Liam Rochford, from Croase, Co Wexford, secured the overall Pasture Progress Award for 2025.

Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Minister Noel Grealish, presented the Pasture Progress and Student Grassland Farmer of the Year Awards on June 18 at the Teagasc Crops Research Centre, Oak Park, Co Carlow.

Minister Grealish acknowledged the county winners and congratulated the regional finalists and the overall winner, Mr Rochford.

To the student finalists, he said that they “are the ambassadors for good grassland management and the future of farming.” He congratulated the Student Category Winner, Glen Williamson from County Cavan, representing Ballyhaise Agricultural College.

The Pasture Progress Awards changed its format for 2025, recognising grassland farmers who had high levels of sustainable pasture production, but have also made the most progress in this area in recent years.

Winners were selected in every county, with the regional and overall winner being selected from county winners. The student category award recognises students from agricultural colleges across Ireland excelling in grassland management and knowledge. The awards are supported by the department with an overall prize fund of €40,000.

Congratulating the grassland farmers and students, Professor Laurence Shalloo, Head of Teagasc Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Programme, said: “The real competitive advantage that we have in Ireland is the ability to grow and utilise pasture over a long grazing season. Pasture is a high-quality feed that can be produced at a relatively low cost, and converted into high-quality products. Every extra tonne of pasture utilised on average over the past 10 years has increased net profitability by €215/tonne.” 

Daire Cregg spoke on behalf of the competition judges. He thanked the farmers for hosting the judges for the visits to their farms. He said: “We had excellent grassland managers recognised in the awards this year,” highlighting that the regional finalists measured grass 45 times on average in 2025 and that the average yield was 12.1 tonnes per hectare with an average of 8.4 grazings per year.

Waterford and Regional Winners of the 2025 Pasture Progress Awards: Anne Keane and Esther Walsh, Kilmacthomas, Co Waterford, with John Macnamara, Chairman Grass10, James Keane, Oisin Shannon and sponsors Clodagh Bolger, Grassland Agro, John Ryan, FBD, Aidan Brennan, Farmers Journal, Shane McCarthy, AIB, Clodagh Forbes, AIB, Nikki Kennedy, Teagasc Grass10 and Liz Hyland, DAFM. Picture: O'Gorman Photography.

The Pasture Progress Awards are part of the Teagasc Grass10 Campaign which is supported by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Teagasc, AIB, FBD, Grassland Agro and the Irish Farmers Journal. The Grass10 programme focuses on promoting efficient nutrient management, high grass/clover pastures, routine grass measurement and overall good grassland management.

The judging panel for the Pasture Progress and Student Grassland Farmer of the Year Awards consisted of Liz Hyland, DAFM, John Maher, Teagasc Grass10; John Farrell, AIB; Colin Heaney, FBD; Sean McMahon, Grassland Agro; Daire Cregg, Irish Farmers Journal.

Farmer Category winners:

• Overall winner and Leinster Winner: Liam Rochford, Croase, Co Wexford.
• Munster Winner: Partnership of Anne Keane, Esther Walsh and Oisin Shannon, Kilmacthomas, Co Waterford.
• Connacht/Ulster Winner: David, Ian and Glen Williamson, Bailieboro, Co Cavan.

Student Section:

• Student Category Winner: Glen Williamson, Ballyhaise College.
• Student Category Finalist: Emily Needham, Gurteen College.
• Student Category Finalist: Owen McCarthy, Clonakilty College.
• Student Category Finalist: James Lynch, Pallaskenry College.
• Student Category Finalist: Thomas King, Mountbellew College.

County Winners:

• Mayo: Alan and Craig McCormick.
• Sligo: Glenn Patterson.
• Leitrim: Keith Richardson.
• Roscommon: Tommie Devine.
• Donegal: David Lowry.
• Cavan: David, Ian and Glen Williamson.
• Monaghan: James and Anthony Meehan.
• Galway: Gerard and Enda Armstrong.
• Dublin: Jim Ryan.
• Laois: Seamus and James Bennett.
• Kildare: Sean Carpenter.
• Carlow: William Griffin.
• Louth: Peter White.
• Meath: Enda Horgan.
• Westmeath: Nigel and Eric Mills.
• Wicklow: David and Peter Ryan.
• Longford: John Payne.
• Wexford: Liam Rochford.
• Kilkenny: Leeson, Edward and Leeson Neale.
• Offaly: Rob Stafford.
• Waterford: Anne Keane, Esther Walsh and Oisin Shannon.
• Cork: Darragh Scully.
• Kerry: Donal Spring.
• Tipperary: Shane Kennedy.
• Clare: James Slattery.
• Limerick: Declan Flynn.