Top Farming Entrepreneurs Honoured

2 July, 2003

Kieran Dolan, a 22 year old farm manager from Cavan has won the premier award in the national Farm Start Awards, organised by Teagasc and sponsored by FBD Trust.

The awards are aimed at encouraging entrepreneurship among qualified farm managers and Kieran Dolan took the top award of €2,500 for his project on turkey production for the Christmas market.

A graduate of the Teagasc College at Ballyhaise, Co. Cavan, Kieran qualified with the Advanced Certificate in Farm Management last year. He is currently employed in a management position on a pig unit in Longford and proposes to establish the turkey enterprise on his home farm in Ardmoneen, Co. Cavan.

Second prize and a cheque of €1,750 went to James Croke, a 27 year old dairy farm manager from Ballingarry, Co. Tipperary. James completed a project on the establishment of an equity partnership in dairying. James is currently employed as a dairy farm manager in Waterford.

Third prize in the FBD Farm Start Awards was won by 23 year old Brian Gallagher, from Co. Galway. He will invest the prize fund of €1,250 in the development of a suckler and sheep enterprise on rented land. He is currently employed on a drystock farm in Co. Meath.

The co-ordinator of the awards, Liam Myles of Teagasc, said their primary aim is to encourage entrepreneurship among highly trained and motivated young farmers.

“The need for initiative in farming was never greater and the FBD Farm Start programme is about encouraging this in a rapidly changing industry”, he said.