Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to visit Teagasc's demo suckler herd today

The UK’s Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Catherine, are set to visit the Derrypatrick demonstration suckler herd at the Teagasc Animal and Grassland, Research Centre, Grange, Co. Meath, today, Wednesday, March 4.

The royal couple will be met and welcomed to Teagasc Grange by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed, and the chairman of Teagasc, Liam Herlihy.

They will be introduced to Prof. Gerry Boyle, director of Teagasc, Councillor Wayne Harding, Cathaoirleach of Meath County Council and Jackie Maguire, chief executive of Meath County Council.

Members of the Teagasc authority will also be present.

Paul Crosson and Edward O Riordan, beef researchers at Teagasc Grange, will show the royal couple three cows, each with twin calves, which are part of the Derrypatrick demonstration suckler herd.

Steps to ensure beef is produced in an environmentally sustainable way will be outlined by Paul Crosson and Edward O Riordan who will also talk about the technologies that have been developed and adopted to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the herd.

The royal couple will be introduced to Catherine Keena, Teagasc’s countryside management specialist who will speak about the initiatives on farms around the country to promote biodiversity.

The couple will then meet Teagasc advisors Eilish Burke and William Byrne who will introduce them to farmers who will speak about what they are doing to ‘farm with nature’ on their respective farms.

The principal of the Kiltale National School, Dunsany, Co. Meath, will be in Grange to meet the royal couple along with 10 sixth-class students.

The pupils have completed projects on farm to fork food production and sustainability.

Before departing, the royal couple will be presented with a gift by Teagasc chairman, Liam Herlihy.