Dovea Genetics, one of Ireland’s leading dairy and beef semen suppliers, has launched a new initiative, Dovea Straws For Action.

At the recent launch, product development and quality manager for Dovea Genetics Enda Dooley said that the company will donate €1 from each semen straw sold off its high-EBI bull Beechnut Dovea (FR4673) and the Limousin bull Ewdenvale Ivor (LM2014) to the farming charity Embrace Farm.

Money will be collected from any straws sold from these select bulls from 1 January to mid-September, at which point the proceeds will be presented to the charity at the National Ploughing Championships being held this year in Fenagh, Co Carlow.

Dooley said that Dovea Genetics has admired the wonderful work Embrace Farm has done in such a short time since it was founded and that the Ploughing stands as the ideal place to hand over the cheque, given the event was actually held in Dovea in 1962.

He stated that unlike most other sectors, many of the people directly affected by a farm accident have to go back daily to where that life-changing accident happened

Chair of Embrace Farm Brian Rohan thanked Dovea Genetics for the initiative and for thinking of Embrace Farm.

Brian outlined his own personal experience of a farm accident and how Embrace Farm was founded.

He stated that unlike most other sectors, many of the people directly affected by a farm accident have to go back daily to where that life-changing accident happened. He said the organisation now offers signposting to counselling and support services to families that have been affected by a farm accident.

Officially launching the event was managing director of the National Ploughing Association Anna May McHugh, who said it was a wonderful initiative which she was delighted to formally launch and to be associated with.

She commended the great work that Embrace Farm is doing and praised the Dovea Genetics team for coming up with the idea.

She was delighted that the proceeds would be presented at the 2019 National Ploughing Championships and confirmed her attendance at the presentation of the cheque.