Nominations open for Farmer of the Year Awards
Zurich Farm Insurance, in partnership with the Farming Independent, are calling on all Tipperary farmers to enter the annual National Farmer of the Year Awards 2019 by the entry deadline on Monday, September 30th, 2019.
The Zurich Farm Insurance Farming Independent Farmer of the Year Awards recognise and celebrate the best of Irish farmers, who every year continually play an important role in supporting the Irish economy. The 2019 award ceremony – to be held in The Sheraton Hotel in Athlone on November 14th – is an opportunity for the Irish farming community to come together to acknowledge, appreciate and reward the very best in the sector.
The awards are free to enter, and farmers may enter themselves or be nominated by any third party (Teagasc advisor, friend, family member and so on). Entrants can choose from five farming categories – Dairy, Beef, Tillage, Sheep and a Rising Star category. The other awards on the night include; an Excellence in Farm Safety award, a Lifetime Achievement award, and the Grand Prix overall Farmer of the Year award for 2019.
Winners in each farming category will receive a prize of €2,000, while runners-up will each receive €250. The Grand Prix Farmer of the Year will take home €3,000. The winner of the Grand Prix Farmer of the Year 2018 was Gillian O’Sullivan from Dungarvan in Co. Waterford. The lifetime achievement award for last year went to Bord Bía Chairman, Dan McSweeney.
Gillian O’Sullivan, Grand Prix Farmer of the Year 2018 winner, said: “Participating in the Farmer of the Year awards has been such a positive experience for us, we are so proud of what we have achieved as a team in such a short space of time. It has opened up opportunities and connections that we could never have imagined possible.”
Full details of categories and how to enter are available at www.farmeroftheyear.ie.