Meet the Tillage and Sheep Finalists of the Environmental Sustainability Awards 2024
The Teagasc FBD Environmental Sustainability Awards showcase tillage and sheep farmers commitment to sustainable farming. These awards honor progress made in reducing environmental impact while ensuring the sustainable production of high-quality crops and livestock in a profitable manner.
According to Siobhán Kavanagh, Teagasc Signpost Programme and Chair of the Judging Panel, many of the actions undertaken by these farmers to improve profitability also benefit the environment. This includes improving soil fertility, reducing chemical nitrogen reliance, and increasing the use of protected urea fertilizer. "It's a win-win, good for farm incomes and good for the environment."
Tillage Finalists
James O'Keeffe
James O'Keeffe is an organic tillage farm operating near Kells, Co. Meath. James is growing and marketing Miscanthus as an alternative animal bedding source. He installed a large 49kw PV array in 2023 to produce renewable energy for self-use and for sale to the grid. A bespoke FYM slab was constructed in 2023 to store compost imported FYM on. James is managing soil health through the application of FYM, straw incorporation, use of short leys, cover crops/sheep grazing, and diverse rotations.
Key Farm Actions:
- Growing and marketing Miscanthus as an alternative animal bedding source
- Producing renewable energy
- Enhancing soil health
Tom Barry
Tom and Cathy Barry live in Killavullen, Co. Cork where they run a tillage farm. Tom has specialised in replacing artificial fertiliser on crops with pig and dairy slurries, particularly in springtime onto growing crops for better N use efficiency, which has improved the soil fertility and reduced artificial fertiliser use by 50%. Tom also grows a sizable area of winter beans in rotation, which have a zero N requirement. There is an emphasis on soil health on this farm with the spade regularly used to check the status of the soils.
Key Farm Actions:
- Making better use of manures
- Growing legume crops
- Maintaining soil health
Sheep Finalists
Blatnaid Gallagher
Blatnaid Gallagher is organic sheep farming near Ballinasloe, Co. Galway. Blatnaid has the diversified the farm in East Galway into social farming, wool and lamb production. She is also passionate about the preservation of Galway sheep and is currently working on setting up a lamb producer group.
Key Farm Actions:
- Diversifying into social farming, wool, and lamb production
- Preserving Galway sheep and establishing a lamb producer group
Brian Nicholson
Brian Nicholson is a sheep farmer, farming near Johnstown, Co. Kilkenny. Brian's farm is part organic. Brian has done extensive work on the farm to improve soil fertility with 41 % of soils optimum for pH, P & K. He is also incorporating agroforestry into the farm system to protect water quality and provide an additional income stream.
Key Farm Actions:
- Improving soil fertility
- Plans to incorporate agroforestry