The Farming for Nature (FFN) project has announced the appointment of 15 new ambassadors to its growing network, who will take part in the active promotion of sustainability and biodiversity over the coming year.
The new ambassadors include families, couples and individuals from across all sectors including forestry, beef, sheep, dairy, horticulture, tillage and high nature value (HNV) areas.
Many of the holdings belonging to the farmers have been identified as species-rich grasslands, uplands, wetlands, woodlands and hedgerows, and all of the ambassadors are working to protect and promote biodiversity in these environments.
The appointment of the ambassadors comes following a lengthy nomination and assessment process involving a panel of environmental experts and judges, who conducted interviews and farm visits. The new ambassadors are:
- Chilton Alpaca farm, Co. Roscommon;
- Aonghus Ó Coistealbha Market gardening, Co. Galway;
- Brigid O’Connor Sheep, Co. Kerry;
- Bronagh & Cathal O’Rourke Beef, Co. Clare;
- Colm Flynn Tillage, Co. Kildare;
- David Dennison Vineyard & orchard, Co. Waterford;
- Gerry Fitzsimons Beef, Co. Cavan;
- James Ham Forestry and beef, Co. Westmeath;
- Mark Gillanders Tillage and beef, Co. Monaghan;
- Mark Harold Barry Tillage, forestry and beef, Co. Tipperary;
- Maurice Deasy Tillage & sheep, Co. Tipperary;
- McDonagh Family Horticulture and mixed stock, Co. Mayo;
- Pat Mulrooney Dairy, Co. Tipperary;
- Paul McCormick and Jacinta French Beef and nature, Co. Cork;
- Sean Condon Dairy, Co. Limerick.
Speaking about the appointments, Dr. Brendan Dunford, founder and volunteer with FFN said:
“At a time of so much divisive debate around food security, biodiversity loss and climate change, this year’s ambassadors offer us the hope, inspiration and practical advice that we so desperately need to navigate the challenges and to embrace the opportunities that lie ahead.
“These farmers deserve our respect, gratitude and support; they embody all that’s great about rural Ireland and we are so proud of them,” he finished.
An FFN awards ceremony will be held during the months of September and October whereby the public will be encouraged to watch a series of farm videos on the network’s website, and vote for their favourite farming story.
This year’s public vote ambassadors are Brigid O’Connor, James Ham, Mark Gillanders, Mark Harold-Barry and Sean Condon. Their videos will be promoted as part of a campaign to raise awareness of the work the farmers in the network do around the country.
The remaining ten ambassadors will later be introduced on a monthly basis from November 2022 until August 2023 via podcasts, online discussions and FFN’s social media channels, where the work they do will also be showcased.