Insurance company Farmer Business Developments (FBD) has named North Tipperary’s ‘Young Farmer of the Year’ county finalist 2014, as 23-year old dairy farmer Mr Joe Maher.
A native of Roscrea, Co Tipperary, Joe will now go forward to represent Tipperary at the semi-final of the 16th Annual FBD ‘Young Farmer of the Year Competition,’ organised by Macra na Feirme in close partnership with the Irish Farmers Association (IFA).
Some 28 county finalists will now each compete in the National Semi-finals, latter which will take place later this month on August 20th to 22nd. Six overall finalists will then be chosen from these semi-finalists, to go through to the finals taking place on September 2nd next at the Westlodge Hotel, situated in Bantry, Co Cork.
Joe presently milks some 140 pedigree Holstein Friesians at his Roscrea holding and plans in the pipeline to increase his herd numbers to 160 in the future, subject to a settling down in present milk price volatility.
This prestigious ‘Young Farmer competition,’ supported by FBD Insurance, seeks to highlight and reward the top progressive young farmers annually in Ireland and entrants are judged on:- (A) Farm Business Initiative and Innovation; (B) Farm Efficiency and Enterprise Quality; (C) Farm Safety and Environmental Protection Awareness; (D) Overall Agricultural Knowledge; and finally (E) Community Involvement.
Prizes in this competition are awarded annually to first, second and third places and the overall national winner of the competition will receive a bursary, latter which will permit the same chosen individual to travel Internationally, while studying best farm practices abroad.
Prizes will also be awarded in the ‘Innovation’ and ‘Community Involvement’ categories and to each successful county winner.
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