Eleven family farms received Origin Green awards for their efforts in driving sustainability, efficiency and low environmental impact at a ceremony hosted by Bord Bia in Killenard, Co Laois this Wednesday.

Congratulating the winners, Bord Bia's chief executive Tara McCarthy said: "When we're bringing international buyers around the country, you're the people we need to feature." She added that the Origin Green brand rested on sustainability assurance schemes, acknowledging that Bord Bia "can't assume that you'll always be there without showing you what the market is asking for" and engaging with farmers on what worries them about audits.

Dairy winners

The winner in the reduced carbon footprint category was Trevor Crowley and his family from Lissarda, Co Cork, whose 136-cow herd has greenhouse gas emissions 18% below the national average.

Two more dairy awards crowned Mairead and Pat McLoughlin, who milk 56 cows with advanced breeding techniques in Birr, Co Offaly in the small/medium herd category, and Shane and Dermot O'Loughlin from Monasterevin, Co Kildare who were singled out for top animal health in the large herd category.

Horticulture winners

The mushroom winner was Reilly Mushrooms in Athlone, Co Westmeath where a €200,000 investment in solar panels provides much of the farm's power.

Flynn's tomatoes, who recycle the carbon dioxide from their greenhouse boilers to boost plant growth in Swords, Co Dublin scooped the protected crops award.

Kilmore Potatoes in Kikmore, Co Wexford have set aside 30ac of their land to protect biodiversity including wild birds and won the potato category.

John Dockerell, who grows root crops and salads in Enniscorthy, Co Wexford came out in front in the field vegetables category thanks to their constant monitoring of nutrients, reduced chemical inputs and water recycling efforts.

Beef winners

The suckler-to-beef winner was Noel Farrell from Golden, Co Tipperary, who runs a rotational grazing system and makes top quality silage.

In the suckler-to-weanling or store category, Nicholas Bergin was praised for the quality of breeding, management and facilities on his farm in Roscrea, Co Tipperary.

The Auchmuty family of beef finishers and sheep farmers in Ballygalda, Co Roscommon won the weanling/store to beef category. They slaughter 95% of their cattle under 30 months with impressive carcase specs.

In the dairy calf to beef category, Derek and Gareth Peoples from Newtownmountcunningham, Co Donegal came first in recognition of the way they maximise weight gain from grass and herd health.

Bord Bia chairman Dan MacSweeney said that accessing new markets was crucial in the wake of Brexit, and we "need points of differentiation" such as Origin Green's environmental and animal welfare credentials to achieve that. The award winners announced on Wednesday are "role models" in this area, he added.

The winners were selected among 39 finalists by judges from Bord Bia, Teagasc, the Irish Farmers Journal, UCD and IT Blanchardstown.

Read a full profile of each winner in next week's Irish Farmers Journal.

Read more

Dairy Day: awareness of Ireland a lot lower than we’d like it to be – Bord Bia

Watch: solar panels powering Co Longford pig farm