Urlingford Organic Farmers are Category Winners in JFC/Teagasc Innovation Awards

Ben and Charlotte Colchester from Urlingford were the only Kilkenny finalists in the JFC Innovation Awards for Rural Business. They are the winners of the Environmental/Energy category award for their plans to diversify into organic rape seed production. Their innovative approach involves developing several products from the basic rape seed crop. Already well established in organic farming, the Colchesters were chosen because of their plans to diversify into organic rape seed production.

The Colchesters currently run Drumeen Farm, The Islands, Urlingford , where they have a widely varied mixed enterprise including: sheep, cattle, chickens, turkeys, honey and forestry.

Grain Eco, a group of tillage farmers from Counties Laois and Kildare, is the overall winner of the JFC Innovation Awards for Rural Business. Grain Eco came together to grow and distribute industrial grade oats to supply the wood pellet stove and boiler market. The six successful tillage farmers: Andrew Bergin, Liam Dunne, Colm Flynn, Mervyn McCann, Alan Salter and David Walsh-Kemmis, have worked together for some years pooling resources such as grain storage, a weighbridge and bulk purchasing materials.

These awards are sponsored by JFC and organised by Teagasc and the Irish Farmers Journal. The awards ceremony was held at the Hodson Bay Hotel, Athlone on Tuesday,13 March 2007. In addition to the overall winner there were three category winners in Environmental/Energy, Manufacturing/Technology, and Rural Tourism/ Value Added Food Production/Services.

www.greenbee.ie won the Manufacturing/Technology category. Two young entrepreneurs, Jo Nash and Gina Geagan from Bundoran, County Donegal, were selected for developing www.greenbee.ie. Greenbee is a one-stop shop for everything renewable, sustainable and green. It is an online virtual marketplace and directory promoting sustainable living.

Gilligan Meats won the Value Added Food Production category. Padraig Gilligan, Gilligan Meats, Derrane Road, Fourmilehouse, County Roscommon, already has a reputation for premium quality products and is now diversifying into the production of tray-packed meat cuts to meet growing consumer demand. This is a niche market of locally produced farm food. All the livestock is reared on the farm, finished on a special diet of mostly farm-grown feeds, slaughtered, processed and packaged on the farm factory.

The JFC Innovation Awards for Rural Business is a new award scheme aimed at farmers and the rural community. It is a kick-start competition where prizes are awarded for business ideas and plans. The prize fund of €30,000 comprises cash, advertising, mentoring and business support.