The final five contestants competing for the 2021 FBD Young Farmer of the Year have been announced.

Since 1999, the competition has been raising the profile of young farmers by recognising their achievements and contributions to farming.

There are category awards for dairy, beef, sheep, horticulture, pigs, poultry, tillage, equine, land mobility and farm management.

This year's finalists come from five different counties spanning across Monaghan, Cork, Dublin, Kilkenny and Laois and all are dairy farmers bar one contestant who is a horticulturist.

Finalists

  • Edward Treanor, a dairy farmer from Co Monaghan.
  • Owen Ashton, a dairy farmer from Co Cork.
  • Shane Halpin, a horticulturist from Co Dublin.
  • Trevor Cobbe, a dairy farmer from Co Laois.
  • Eoin Kennedy, a dairy farmer from Co Kilkenny.

    • The final five contestants will now compete for the overall title of 2021 FBD Young Farmer of the Year.

    Category winners and the overall winner will be announced on Friday 17 December during the 2021 FBD Young Farmer of the Year broadcast hosted by Damien O’Reilly and streamed on Macra na Feirme's Facebook page.

    2020 Young Farmer of the Year

    Last year, Macra na Feirme announced Dara Killeen as the 2020 FBD Young Farmer of the Year.

    The young Galway man is milking 150 high-EBI crossbred cows in Meelick, Co Galway, in partnership with his father after switching from sheep in 2017.

    Following his success, Dara said: “It is a huge honour for me and my family to be awarded. I was lucky to take over the farm at a young age and it is great to reward the faith my parents have put in me."