Agriland Media Group is delighted to collaborate with the FBD Trust to celebrate its landmark 50th celebrations in 2025.

Over the five decades since the FBD Trust was first established it has had one fundamental objective - to support and champion Ireland's farm families.

Whether it is shining the spotlight on award-winning farmers or supporting ground-breaking scientific research the FBD Trust will always stay true to its roots in rural Ireland.

The FBD Trust is now celebrating 50 years of championing farmers who are committed to sustainable agriculture and working together to protect the future of Irish agriculture.

This 50th milestone is more than just a celebration, it also represents five decades of a partnership between the FBD Trust and farm families.

Marking 50 years

In this 'FBD Trust Marking 50 Years' series, we will look at how the trust delivers benefits for Irish farmers, their families, rural communities and the Irish agricultural industry as a whole.

Over the next four weeks, the series will cover:

Week 1: Leadership, with FBD Trust chair. Michael Berkery;
Week 2: Sustainability, featuring Teagasc FBD Environmental Sustainability Farmer 2025: Don Somers;
Week 3: Animal Health, focusing on the FBD CellCheck Awards;
Week 4: Building for the future, looking at how FBD Trust is working to empower the Irish farming community.

Leadership

Under the leadership of the chair of the FBD Trust, Michael Berkery, more than €50 million has been invested in initiatives that directly support and advance Irish agriculture.

Major research projects based at Teagasc Moorepark and UCD Lyons Farm also promote innovation, sustainability and knowledge transfer within the agriculture sector.

The chair has also brought his considerable experience to supporting Irish farmers during some of the most challenging periods for the sector.

Spotlight on sustainability

One of the highlights of the 50-year celebration will be a look back at how the FBD Trust is helping to highlight how farmers have a deep responsibility to their land.

The Teagasc/ FBD Environmental Sustainability Awards recognise farmers who are operating sustainable, profitable farming systems, whilst incorporating the latest scientific developments and technologies on their farms.

This year’s overall winner, Don Somers working alongside his uncle, combines innovation with tradition and has embraced sustainable farming, innovative use of modern tools, and has a proactive approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Championing animal health

Ireland's commitment to animal health is also celebrated by the FBD Trust through its support of the annual CellCheck Milking for Quality Awards.

The awards, which are sponsored by the trust and are now in their 12th year, recognise the excellence achieved by Irish dairy farmers in herd health, specifically those that achieve a consistently low somatic cell count (SCC).

Building for the future

Looking ahead, the FBD Trust's vision for the future is clear - to provide unwavering support to farm families to help them succeed in an ever-changing landcape for agriculture.

The trust aims to do this through education, research partnerships, risk management, and investment in new technologies.

The trust wants to empower farmers to seek out new opportunities, to adopt new technologies that will future-proof their farm and to ensure that Irish agriculture remains strong, competitive, and sustainable.