The 17th round of the competition for FBD Young Farmer of the Year award has opened, with entrants competing for the top prize of a travel bursary and the title of FBD Young Farmer of the Year. The competition was launched this week by organisers, Macra na Feirme, sponsors FBD and partners, the IFA and current FBD Young Farmer of the Year, Seán O’Donnell.
FBD Young Farmer of the Year 2014 Sean O’Donnell helped Sean O’Brien and FBD’s Ciaran Roche, launch the FBD and Agri Aware farm safety maze at the National Ploughing Championships last year
This year a representative from each sector will be chosen in every county before being invited to benefit from a targeted regional technical day. There they will develop their specific skills and compete against their counterparts from other counties to be in with a chance to represent their sector at the All-Ireland final in September.
A new development this year is the introduction of sector prizes alongside the overall prize of Young Farmer of the Year.
Macra na Feirme’s outgoing National President, Kieran O’Dowd, said, “We have introduced sector prizes as we want to recognise young farmers’ achievements in all farming enterprises. The success of the agricultural industry relies on the contribution of all young farmers. It’s a positive and exciting time in farming and this competition is an ideal platform to highlight the strength and ambition of the industry.”
Entrants are judged according to a number of criteria including farm business initiative and innovation, levels of farm efficiency and enterprise quality, farm safety and environmental protection awareness, as well as agricultural knowledge and community involvement.
The overall winner of the competition will receive a bursary to undertake international travel and study farm practices and be given the title of FBD Young Farmer of the Year .
Forms are available from Macra na Feirme national office by phoning 01-426 8900, from your local IFA or FBD offices and for download here:
You can also apply online here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/WM8QF3K
(Source – Irish Farmers Journal – Amy Nora Fitzgibbon – 30/04/2015)