Cavan farmer wins the 2016 Farm Free Competition

A Co. Cavan farmer has won the 2016 Farm Free competition organised by Agriland, which we believe is the largest giveaway of farming prizes in Ireland.

Ken McNeil, from Lisboduff, is a full-time dairy farmer milking 40 Holstein Friesian cows on an 82ac farm, with an additional 39ac rented.

Currently midway through the calving season, McNeil also finishes a small number of bullocks or heifers every year on his farm.

Avid readers of Agriland, both McNeil and his wife Joy entered the competition in 2016.

“I came in one evening from the farm and I seen the competition on the website so I entered. My wife Joy had already entered that morning.

I think it was her application that was the winning one, she would have more luck than me.

The lucky farmer will take home a whole host of prizes including:

• A Massey Ferguson MFDM246 Disc Mower.
• Heat Detection and Health Monitoring System worth €8,500.
• 10t of Yara Fertilizer.
• 1,000t of Ecosyl silage additive worth €1,400.
• €1,000 Gain Animal Feed Voucher.
• €1,000 worth of Elanco Animal Health Products.
• Husqvarna 536LiXP Battery Chainsaw and Hi-Spec Battery.
• Farm account Software and Cashminder from Agrinet.

I couldn’t believe it to be honest. I thought someone was ringing trying to pull my leg, it took a few days to sink in.

“The best thing about the prizes is that I can use them all on the farm. After a year of tough prices it’s nice to get this boost going into 2017,” McNeil said.

McNeil along with his two sons and daughter were present today on the farm as he was congratulated by some of the Farm Free competition sponsors.

L-R: John McNeil, Ronan Kilcommons; Elanco, Jan Jensma; Yara Fertiliser, Ken McNeil, Cormac Farrelly; Agriland, Caitriona Mullin; Volac, Heather McNeil, Barry Lynch; AgriNet, Alan Heaney; Efficient Farm Solutions, Edward McNeil

The lucky farmer’s twin sons, Edward and John who are 19-years-old and studying in Ballyhaise Agricultural College, as well as their 13-year-old sister Heather are equally excited about winning the prize.

“It’s amazing really, we never thought we would win. We all thought it was a joke at first, but it’s great to win all the prizes,” John said.

Managing Director of Agriland, Cormac Farrelly said, “We were really blown away by the response we received to the competition with nearly 10,000 entries and in Ken and his family I think we have chosen a really worthy winner.

“I would also like to take the opportunity to thank each one of our partners in making this competition possible.

“Ken and his family are no doubt worthy winners and we are delighted in what has been a challenging time for farmers to be able to give this substantial prize to a farming enterprise.

In choosing our partners in the competition we felt it was very important that the prizes on offer would make a real difference to the chosen farm enterprise.

“As a result of this prize, Ken’s farm business will benefit in many ways. His business and family will benefit through the training in and use of AgriNet’s latest industry technology in farm accounting and grass measurement.

“His grassland will benefit from having the added expertise of Yara Fertilisers and its soil sampling capabilities to maximise his grass output and Volac’s expertise in silage preservation, with a Massey Ferguson disc mower to help in the process.

“Added to this his stock will benefit from the latest Elanco animal health products and quality feed from Gain Feeds.

“As a dairy farmer he will also have a state of the art heat detection system at his disposal from Efficient Farm Solutions to ensure the optimum fertility and heat detection of his herd.

“In the light of the recent stormy weather he will also have hours of work for his brand new Husqvarna chainsaw,” he said.

Agriland and our #FarmFree partners would like to thank Ken, his wife Joy, his twin sons John and Edward and his daughter Heather, for their great hospitality today.

We hope he makes great use of the various prizes in 2017.