The AgCredible Academy – a joint initiative between Alltech Ireland and Agri Aware – was launched last Friday, February 7, to encourage Irish farmers to put out their experiences of farming life to give a true depiction of farming in an ever-changing landscape.
The launch was held in the Alltech European Bioscience Centre in Dunboyne, Co. Meath, on Friday morning, with special guests including: national broadcaster and GAA personality Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh; Gemma Smyth, a communications and PR expert; and Tommy Heffernan, a leading veterinary consultant.
The academy aims to elevate Irish agriculture’s story by collaborating with prominent Irish agri-influencers who are passionate about agriculture, according to Alltech Ireland.
At the event, both Alltech and Agri Aware noted the worrying trend that producers and consumers have never been so disconnected about where their food comes from, and so, as an industry, it falls on stakeholders to be educators.
“Agriculture has the power to solve some of our most challenging environmental problems. We can put carbon back in the soil and forests. We can recycle nutrients and keep them out of our rivers, lakes and oceans. We can generate renewable energy. And, together, we can build a more sustainable world,” Alltech said, in a statement.
Commenting, Cathal McCormack, country manager of Alltech Ireland, said: “It is our responsibility to educate people in Ireland with the truth about farming from every sector involved in agriculture.
The ambassadors for the AgCredible Academy are passionate and educated people from multiple sectors within the industry who each have their own individual story to tell.
Deirdre O’Shea, Agri Aware executive director, added: “Both Agri Aware and Alltech are providing the necessary education to influential people from the agriculture community to enable them to share their positive everyday farming stories to the general public.”