NI Holstein open day

Holstein NI will hold a charity open day on Saturday 22 April, featuring the Ballyweaney Herd, owned by Mervyn, May, Gareth and Judith Smyth, Hillcrest Farm, 10 Ballyportery Road, Cloughmills, Co Antrim, BT44 9BN.

Supported by principal sponsors LacPatrick and Volac, the day will incorporate the club’s annual stockjudging event. The event will also feature trade stands, craft stalls, workshops, flower and cookery demonstrations and a charity auction.

Proceeds from the event will be donated to The Perinatal Trust Fund at the regional Neonatal Unit based at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast.

Tier 1 grant has 74-point cut-off

With letters going out to the remaining farmers unsuccessful in an application for a 40% grant under Tier 1 of the Farm Business Improvement Scheme, the cut-off to obtain funding under the scheme has been confirmed at 74 points. In total, just over 1,500 farmers were successful, out of 3,500 who applied to the first tranche of the scheme, which came with an initial budget of £7.5m. A second tranche is due to open towards the end of the year.

Despite concerns about funding and budgets given the lack of political agreement at Stormont, it is understood that this initial £7.5m allocation is secure.

Eurostock rebrands to Bawnbua Foods

Lurgan-based Eurostock Foods, which employs 250 people across its sites in Co Armagh and in Wigan, has rebranded as Bawnbua Foods.

According to the company, the name change is to reflect its Irish heritage and to position it for further growth in the UK market and abroad.

Started by Martin White in 1985, Eurostock was based in Newry, before moving to Lurgan in 2008. In recent years, it has moved from being a supplier of mainly frozen meat products to the UK retail sector, into supplying chilled ready-to-cook meats and value-added meat products.