'Future of sustainable farming' midlands workshop to be held tomorrow

An event organised for the farming community which will focus on the future of sustainable farming in Co. Laois is set to take place tomorrow, Friday, October 11, in Mountrath.

The workshop is being organised by Mountrath Community Forum, in conjunction with a number of county community groups, and will feature some top guest speakers, including RTÉ presenter and ecologist Duncan Stewart as well as a range of industry experts in renewable energy and farming.

Stewart will discuss the topic of sustainable farming; in addition, Noel Gavigan – executive officer for the Irish Bioenergy Association (IrBEA) – will talk about biogas, wood energy and feed-in tariffs.

Pat Costello will comment on the biogas industry, while Damien Nee will cover farming and the circular economy.

The event will take place tomorrow evening from 6:30pm through to 9:30pm in St. Philomena’s Hall, at the Brigidine Convent, Mountrath.

The night will be free to attend and all farmers and rural dwellers are welcome to come along, according to organisers.

Mountrath Community Forum

Established in 2015, Mountrath Community Forum was formed to revive and promote the midlands town and its rural surrounds.

In its mission statement, the forum states its aim to “serve the people of the district; to promote the business and cultural life of the locality by working in partnership with existing groups; and to act as an advocate in identifying and accessing funding for specific projects”.

The group outlines that it wishes to “further the cultural, environmental and business life of the area by facilitating the exchange of ideas and experiences”, as well as putting into action projects which will improve the locality.

This mission includes developing and promoting the wider community by networking with local organisations, as well as maximising potential funding by working closely with public and private agencies.