Tipperary Farmer announced as Flahavan’s “ Organic Oat Grower 2023”

Flahavan’s are delighted to announce the winners of their “Oat Grower of the Year Award 2023”.

The Awards were split into two categories - Conventional Oat Growers and Organic Oat Growers and competition was extremely strong in both categories, despite the difficult growing conditions experienced this year. 

Agronomist & Cereals Specialist, Jim O’Mahony, who acted as independent judge for the competition said, “all shortlisted growers and winners in both categories produced top quality oats grown with due consideration for the environment”.

Both conventional and organic growers were assessed on the basis of Overall Grain Quality, taking into account kernel content; bushel weight; moisture levels; aroma; flavour; colour & cleanliness. 

Judge Jim O’Mahony reviewed the selected samples and interviewed shortlisted growers, before identifying just three finalists from each category.

The finalists were assessed on the basis of Grower Excellence, which included cereal knowledge; farm practice & technique as well as environmental sustainability, with an overall winner selected from each group. In his summation of the awards Jim said, “The overall standard of the growers was excellent as you might expect for contestants in a competition who supply to Flahavan’s, a well-known market leader in food and oat-based products”.

The winners in the Conventional Oats category were The Keane Family of Cappoquin Estate, where Charles Keane was one of the first Irish growers to introduce tramlines to Irish cereal growing in the 1980’s. 

Farm manager John Collins has also looked after the tillage operations on the estate since the 1980’s, and is recognised as a leader in the industry.

John gives great attention to protecting the environment through building hedge rows and using buffer zones as well as planting native tree species on nearby land.

“We are delighted with our success in this competition,” said Charles Keane on winning the award, “we value our contract for oats with Flahavan’s, with whom we have had a longstanding relationship.”

Padraig Connery from Villierstown Cappoquin was runner up in the Conventional Oats category. 

Padraig grows a range of crops including winter oats, winter wheat, winter and spring barley and spring beans.

Padraig is admired for his planned approach to production. He uses soil tests regularly to decide his nutrition/fertiliser programme and uses pig and cattle slurry to cut down on chemical fertilisers.

He is cognisant of the importance of his role in improving the environment. Padraig is also very progressive, having pursued appropriate third level qualifications in mechanical engineering and agriculture.

Commenting on his recognition Padraig said “I am delighted to have the contract for growing oats for Flahavan’s” and added, “I would love a tour of the Flahavan’s Mill at some stage in the future!.”

The overall winner in the Organic Oats category was announced as Evan Delaney who has been farming tillage crops plus a small area for livestock around the house with his family at Red City, Fethard, Co. Tipperary.

He has an organic feed business in conjunction with his organic cropping programme. Evan is very knowledgeable on organic growing technology and is keen to explore the market potential for organic crops.

He is very aware of Department of Agriculture requirements and schemes as well as the importance of maintaining and improving environmental assets.

Evan is noted as a leader in the organic movement and is a member of the Limerick-Tipp organic group. His farm is used by both Irish Organic Association and Teagasc for knowledge transfer.  Evan says, “he is happy to supply Flahavan’s with quality organic oats.”

Eoghan O’Sullivan from Roseville, Donohill, Tipperary town was named runner-up in the Organic Oats category.

Eoghan who is relatively new in tillage was praised by the judge for his simple system that produces quality oats which are delivered to Flahavan’s directly from the harvester. Eoghan is also very conscious of his environmental responsibilities.

Johnny Flahavan, Operations Manager at Flahavan’s commented “While 2023 has been a difficult year for growers across the country, the standard of Oats supplied to Flahavan’s is consistently excellent and we’re particularly delighted to see that so many of our suppliers are introducing more and more environmentally sustainable practices into their farming. 

“Our sincerest congratulations to our winners and runners up, a well-deserved recognition for top quality tillage farmers.”