The 2022 National Farming for Nature (FFN) Ambassador Awards was held in Corofin Co. Clare on Saturday night. Now in its fifth year, FFN welcomed 15 new ambassadors on board and highlighted five outstanding examples of how farmers are supporting nature on their land. This year’s Ambassadors operate beef, forestry, horticulture, sheep, dairy and tillage systems and work with a range of valuable habitats including species-rich grasslands and heaths, wetlands, woodlands, uplands and hedgerows. These Ambassadors are not only managing farming systems that are agriculturally progressive, ecologically sound and economically viable, but they are also actively engaged in sharing their work, stories and practical knowledge with their community.
Farming For Nature project officer Lucy Bowler says “I think every farmer in Ireland will be able to relate to at least one of these farmers and admire what they have managed to achieve on their farms. We commissioned a short film on five of these farms so that the public could see first-hand the valuable work that so many farmers are doing to support nature on their land. We had an outstanding response to this campaign in terms of video views and votes cast over the last few weeks. I am delighted to announce that the winner of this year’s FFN Public Vote Award is Sean Condon of Templeroe Dairy in Crecora, Co. Limerick. Sean manages an organic, extensive dairy farm producing top-quality milk. Some 25% of the farm is set aside for nature, biodiversity and wildlife. Sean takes a wonderfully holistic approach to farming – ensuring the farm is not only ecologically and economically sound, but also managing a farming system whereby himself and his livestock thrive.”
Deirdre Ryan, director of Bord Bia’s Origin Green Programme said “Partnering with worthy, progressive initiatives such as the Farming for Nature awards is central to the ethos and ongoing development of the Origin Green programme. Farming for Nature has an important role to play in guiding the discourse around Irish agriculture by raising awareness of the variety of valuable habitats that are carefully managed by Irish farmers. The network of engaged and active Farming for Nature ambassadors are helping to make farmers central to conversations around environmental management and protection, while also serving as inspiration to other farmers. On behalf of Bord Bia, I’d like to congratulate all the new Ambassadors and Sean Condon for winning the public vote.”
The National Farming for Nature Ambassador Awards is sponsored by Bord Bia and supported by a wide range of farming and conservation interests including the Dept of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the National Rural Network.
For more info on Sean’s farm go here
