The National Dairy Council (NDC) has recruited two young farmers for its Farmer Ambassador Programme to spread the message of sustainable dairy production across Ireland.
Dairy farmers Enda Walsh and Christopher Tuffy will join the current group of 13 farmer ambassadors who act as “advocates and spokespeople” for Ireland’s family farm based, grass-fed dairy system.
The role of the ambassadors is to “champion” initiatives being employed to make Irish dairy more sustainable and environmentally-friendly.
The ambassadors are regionally spread throughout the country and available for interview on a broad level of subjects.
NDC Ambassadors
Enda Walsh from Co. Galway went to UCD at 17 and studied Dairy Business. As part of the course he spent six months in New Zealand in 2012 and a following six months in Moorepark – Animal & Grassland Research centre.
He graduated in 2014 and returned home to the farm which is on the outskirts of Oranmore and farms alongside his father Henry and mother Patricia.
Christopher Tuffy from Co. Sligo was crowned FBD Young Farmer of the Year in 2022.
He spent a year at Mountbellew Agricultural College and then Kildalton Agricultural College where he completed the Dairy Herd Management course. He also completed a placement in New Zealand.
When an opportunity came up to lease a block near Sligo town, Christopher’s father backed him and he runs this farm milking 150 cows near Doonally.
Farm advocacy manager at NDC Majella McCafferty said: “For some time now, the industry has lacked a consistent approach to communicating our side of the story, and, as a result, we’ve been reactive rather than proactive and on the back foot.
“What we need is a clear voice, championing our industry with positive stories about the reality of life on the farm, the effective measures being undertaken to address the environmental challenges, the people that make dairy happen and the future that they want to have.”