The Innovation Arena will be one of the busiest stands at the Ploughing this year. With 68 finalists from over 100 entries, the arena is packed with innovations from science, technology, animal health, manufacturing and safety.

The arena has upped in size again, and is located just beside the Irish Farmers Journal stand. This is the first year of the People’s Choice Award and we are offering Irish Farmers Journal readers the chance to vote for their favourite innovation.

The competition takes place over the three days of the National Ploughing Championships from 20 to 22 September and the winner will be announced on the final day. The list will be narrowed down to the 10 finalists on Monday 19 September. The entries with the least number of votes are eliminated since the voting opened in earlier this month. The winner will be announced on Thursday 22 September at the Ploughing. Click on www.farmersjournal.ie/innovation-arena-peoples-choice-award or go to website and follow the link.

From looking at the finalists, many people’s minds have been drawn to provide a safer working environment on farms, and educating younger children in novel ways to improve safety.

Many companies are exploiting the use of cloud-based technology and apps to help farmers’ efficiency. One interesting machine to look out for comes from Irish-based manufacturer Cross, a machine that can do two jobs for farmers.

This is only one example from our really innovative machinery manufacturers. To appreciate what they are achieving, it is well worth visiting for an hour at the Ploughing.

Having seen the applications for this year, NPA public relations officer Anna Marie McHugh commented: “There is no doubt that the creative and entrepreneurial spark in Ireland is alive and well. The National Ploughing Association is delighted to deliver this opportunity to help innovation develop in Ireland, in association with our partners in Enterprise Ireland and the Irish Farmers Journal.”

Justin McCarthy, editor and chief executive of the Irish Farmers Journal, added that he and his team are delighted to support home-grown talent in Ireland.

“Innovation is the key to securing the future of any business and agriculture is no different in this regard. We must continue to be innovative in how we use the latest technology to reduce labour, increase productivity, and develop market share in an increasingly competitive global market.”

There will be also extra awards categories added this year, with an overall award for machine of the year at the Innovation Arena.

A prize will be given for the best product pitch at the Innovation Arena. Each finalist must pitch their concept to the Innovation Panel who will submit their results to the overall judges.

The Innovation Panel will be made up of some of the top businessmen and women from Ireland. This competition is separate from the overall winner. According to Denis Duggan, the shortlisted finalists for this competition get a real opportunity to pitch to potential investors.

An international delegation will also be invited on to the arena, which is a great opportunity to showcase Irish innovative talent. The overall winners in each category will receive a comprehensive mentoring package from Enterprise Ireland, and promotion in the Irish Farmers Journal.

For the winner, it just might be the start of something big that may change their lives. For a full list of applicants, see the Innovation Focus in the Irish Farmers Journal this week or check it out online at www.farmersjournal.ie.

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Full coverage: Ploughing 2016