Killimor farmer is nominated for Bord Bia’s ‘green’ awards

Alfie Kirwan, a farmer from Hearnabrook, Killimor, has been nominated for the first-ever Bord Bia Origin Green Sustainable Beef and Dairy Producer Awards, putting him among the most efficient farmers in the country.

Origin Green is the world’s first national programme to address climate change and the broader sustainability challenges in food and agriculture.

Bord Bia is inaugurating the Awards this year to the exceptional performance being achieved by members of Bord Bia’s Beef and Dairy Sustainability Assurance Schemes, which are pivotal to differentiating Irish food and drink in the global marketplace.

Mr. Kirwan has been nominated in the Suckler to Beef Production category of the Awards. His grassland farm is particularly well-managed, and is currently transitioning to organic production, with winter housing facilities adapted to suit the straw bedding requirement.

His spring-calving suckler herd has been cited as especially fertile, producing 57 live calves from 52 cows in 2016. His operation shows a strong focus on maintaining soil fertility using slurry and manure.