Mr. Brendan Smith TD, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, today presented the Bord Bia Quality Beef/Lamb Producer Awards 2006. Seventeen beef producers and 11 lamb producers were nominated for the awards by Export Beef/Lamb plants and Teagasc advisors.
The two overall winners were: James & Frances Delaney of Derrygarron, Portlaoise, Co. Laois who won the overall Bord Bia Quality Beef Producer Award and Andrew & Deirdre Moloney of Rathgreedon, Edenderry, Co. Offaly who won the overall Bord Bia Quality Lamb Producer Award.
Eight further categories were announced and presented to two Beef Section winners along with six Special Merit winners. The winning farmers hailed from all over the country.
Mr. Brendan Smith TD, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food commented "The purpose of these awards is to acknowledge the outstanding performance in terms of quality beef and lamb production, efficiency and viability demonstrated by all participants. In honouring the winners' achievements, we are sending a strong signal that the future belongs to those who understand what the market requires and can deliver to the very highest standards of quality and efficiency".
Speaking at the presentation in City West Hotel, Mr. Aidan Cotter, Chief Executive Bord Bia commented "The successes of our 28 finalists provide us with good reason to be confident about the future of Irish farming. They reflect the continuing strides towards higher productivity and how farmers are responding to the freedom to farm following the move to a single payment. We can take encouragement also from the current period of stability in the marketplace which, while it coincides with a period of somewhat reduced supplies from South America, is by no means solely determined by it.
"As we look to the future we see a world that is increasing its consumption of meat, particularly in the developing regions and even more particularly in Asia. Over the next ten years the OECD project an expansion of over 14 million tonnes in world consumption of beef. Over 80 per cent of this increase is expected in Asia and Latin America. The rise in consumption is equivalent to double the size of the EU market, a development which will to some extent at least moderate the pressure of increased supplies targeted at Europe."
The selection criteria for the competition included the nomination of farmers who produce top quality beef or young stock that are in demand by our best commercial markets. Profitability was a core objective of the competition as was cost efficient and sustainable production systems. Membership of a quality assurance programme was also required for those in a beef finishing system with production being based on natural systems.
Judging took place in July 2006 and was conducted by Bernard Smyth, Teagasc; Justin McCarthy, Irish Farmers Journal and Michael Deely, Bord Bia. The awards were co-sponsored by the Irish Farmers' Journal and Teagasc.
Prizes were awarded to:
Section Winner Beef – Finishing
Denis Large
Urard, Urlingford, Thurles, Co. Tipperary
Section Winner Beef – Weanling
Seamus Byrne
Knocknagur, Tuam, Co. Galway
Merit Award Beef – Quality Assurance
Christy Tormey
Loughmagore Farm, Kilbeggan, Co. Westmeath
Merit Award Beef – Marketing/ Partnership
David Johnson
Penrose House, Redcross Village, Redcross, Co. Wicklow
Merit Award Beef – Cost/Labour Efficiency
Michael Mellett
Mochara, Shrule, Co. Mayo
Merit Award Beef – Development
Peter Donohoue
Ardleny, Kilnaleck, Co. Cavan
Merit Award Lamb – Breeding Plan
John Renehan,
Violet Hill, Johnstown, Co. Kilkenny
Merit Award Lamb – Labour Efficiency
Sean Dennehy,
Shandangan, Carrigadrohid, Macroom, Co. Cork
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For further information contact:
Rosaleen O'Shaughnessy,
Corporate Communications,
Bord Bia
Tel: 01 614 2245 /