Nuffield Farming Scholarships Trust Ireland (Nuffield Ireland) has announced that the 2018 Nuffield Ireland Conference will hear from six returning 2017 Nuffield scholars who have completed their travels.

The conference is taking place on Friday, November 16, at the Castleknock Hotel, Dublin.

According to a statement from Nuffield Ireland, the scholars will present the findings of their Nuffield reports.

Nuffield Ireland is an independent organisation that claims to identify future leaders in the Irish agricultural sector.

The scholarship involves sending the candidates on international travel in an effort to facilitate their ambition to bring about meaningful change.

The Irish organisation is part of a global network through its linkages with Nuffield International. The six scholars speaking at the conference are listed below.

Eamon Sheehan

Originally from a suckler farm in Co. Kilkenny, Sheehan converted to a dairy farming enterprise five years ago.

He travelled to Singapore, China, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Germany, the UK, Holland, France and the US in an effort to gain insights for his Nuffield studies.

Sheehan’s report  – Microbial management and its importance in the dairy and beef industry – offers recommendations for how the industry can proactively develop strategies to deal with the challenge presented by anti-microbial resistance.

Ed Payne

Born in Co. Galway and now living in Tulsk, Co. Roscommon, Payne, along with his Dad, runs a dairy enterprise.

Payne travelled to the US, Canada, India, Qatar, Turkey and the UK as part of his Nuffield Scholarship.

His report – Farmers responsibility to become more competitive and sustainable employers – focuses on what farmers can do to address the labour shortage by creating a place of work that people will want to work in.

Owen Brodie

From a spring-calving dairy farm in Co. Cavan, Brodie travelled to Brazil, the Netherlands, Scotland, South Africa, Singapore, Indonesia, Japan, Israel, the UK and the US to gain insights for his Nuffield studies.

His report  – The role co-ops play in encouraging viable dairy farming in marginal areas – explores the role dairy farming plays in the social and economic fabric of rural communities and the benefits of farmers and co-ops working together for all.

Niall O’Regan

From a dairy farm in Mallow, Co. Cork, O’Regan travelled to South Africa, the Netherlands, Holland, France, the UK, Brazil, the US, the Czech Republic, Poland, Ukraine and Kenya as part of his Nuffield Scholarship.

His report – Improving nutrient management and protecting water quality – focuses on the challenge water quality poses to the dairy industry and the lessons which can be learned from key global competitors.

Lorcan Allen

Allen hails from a suckler farm in Moate, Co. Westmeath.

As part of his Nuffield Scholarship, he travelled to the US, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Chile, Canada, Italy and the Netherlands to gain insights for his Nuffield studies.

His report  – A licence to farm – how Irish agriculture can maintain its social licence to operate – investigates the present-day disapproval that societies in many countries now have towards farmers and agriculture and the steps that the industry can take to counteract this.

Bryan Hynes

From a beef farm in Clarinbridge, Co. Galway, Hynes runs a dairy farm in partnership with his neighbour since 2012.

For his Nuffield Scholarship, Bryan travelled to Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, the US, Poland, the Czech Republic, Ukraine, Kenya and South Africa where he visited dairy farms who had expanded by taking on multiple dairy units.

His report  – Models for managing multiple dairy units in Ireland – profitable dairy expansion – explores how this approach is best managed and the considerations to be taken into account for Irish dairy farms.