Farming for Nature voting is open to the public with seven farm finalists from across the country. The initiative aims to highlight the valuable work farmers do in promoting and nurturing nature on their land and this year the awards received a huge increase in nominations.
The public now have until midnight 22nd October to view a short series of farm videos and choose who they feel should win the overall Farming for Nature Public Vote Award. To view the videos and vote simply go to www.farmingfornature.ie.
Now in its fourth year, Farming For Nature was set up with an aim to source, share and celebrate the stories of farmers across Ireland who manage their land in a way that sustains nature, while providing a livelihood for their family. Nominations are sought annually from a broad panel of environmental experts and through a rigorous system of interviews, farm visits and assessments by a panel of judges, 23 of these farmers were selected as Ambassadors in 2021. This year’s ambassadors come from right across Ireland and include beef, sheep, horticulture, dairy and tillage farmers who manage a wide range of very valuable habitats including species-rich grasslands and heaths, wetlands, woodlands and hedgerows. Our ambassador network is made up of family farms, couples, and both male and female farmers.
The seven ambassadors will be featured at the annual Burren Winterage Weekend (www.burrenwinterage.com) on October 23rd when the winner of the public vote will also be announced. Sixteen additional ambassadors will be announced and profiled over the coming months, joining a network of 43 ambassadors from 2018, 2019 and 2020. The Farming for Nature Awards are 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.
The deadline for 2021 voting is midnight Friday October 22nd 2021.
