Laois farmer is Grassland Mixed Soils Farmer of the Year
A Laois famer has won a national award for his sustainable growth of grass crops.
Michael Walsh from Ballinakill was announced as the Mixed Soils Category Winner of the Grassland Farmer of the Year 2022 at an awards ceremony which took place on Wednesday, 24 May in Teagasc Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork.
The awards were presented by the Minister for Agriculture, Food, and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue TD.
Michael is pictured with his parents Michael and Bridie, brother Martin, and Niamh Leahy with sponsors Donal Whelton, AIB; Enda McDonald, Grassland Agro; Michael Berkery, FBD; Charlie McConalogue TD, Minister for Agriculture, Food, and the Marine; Aidan Brennan, Irish Farmers Journal; Professor Frank O'Mara, Teagasc Director & Liam Herlihy, Teagasc Chairman.
The Grassland Farmer of the Year awards is now in its sixth year and rewards the top grassland farmers in the country who are growing and utilising more grass on their farms in a sustainable manner.
The awards are supported by the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine with an overall prize fund of €25,000.
Full list of winners are:
Runners-up
Dairy Enterprise Runner-up – Kyle Hanbidge, Kiltegan, Co. Wicklow
Dairy Enterprise Runner-up – Alan Duggan, Foxford, Co. Mayo
Dairy Enterprise Runner-up – Jimmy Cotter, Coachford, Co. Cork
Drystock Enterprise Runner-up – Michael Cunniffe, Roscommon, Co. Roscommon
Category winners:
Young Farmer Category – Diarmaid Fitzgerald, Cratloe, Co. Clare
Mixed Soils Category – Michael Walsh, Ballinakill, Co. Laois
Clover/Sustainable Farming Category – John Casey, Causeway, Co. Kerry
Innovation in Grassland – Michael McGuigan, Longwood, Co. Meath
Enterprise Category Winners:
Drystock Category – Michael McGuigan, Longwood, Co. Meath
Dairy Category – David Gannon, Craughwell, Co. Galway
Overall Winner of the Grassland Farmer of the Year 2022 –
Diarmaid Fitzgerald, Cratloe, Co. Clare
Speaking at the awards ceremony, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue T.D. congratulated all of the finalists in their achievements in grassland management.
“As finalists you are joining a group of top class grassland farmers, and I would particularly like to congratulate Diarmaid Fitzgerald on winning the overall Grassland Farmer of the Year Award. It’s an achievement you can be really proud of. It is clear that initiatives such as Grass10 and the Grassland Farmer of the Year are to the fore in helping farmers achieve the most they can from the natural resource they have on their farm, which is grass. Good management of grass clover swards is essential in meeting the targets set down in the AgClimatise Strategy.”
Liam Herlihy is Teagasc Chairman.
"Very well done to all you, as exceptional farmers doing an excellent job and today is the day to acknowledge this. In relation to the Grass10 programme, the main focus is to challenge four main areas. These areas are specifically: Moving Grassland Knowledge out to the industry; Continuing to increase the usage of PastureBase Ireland; Improving Nutrient Use Efficiency on grassland farms; and in 2023 Increasing the emphasis and adoption of Clover in grassland swards," he said.
The Grassland Farmer of the Year 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 continues to focus on improving nutrient management and efficiency on farm and clover establishment and its management.