Anyone keen to highlight the work being done by farmers in promoting and nurturing nature is being encouraged by Farming for Nature (FFN) to take part in its 2022 public vote campaign, currently underway.
Five of this year’s FFN ambassadors are being featured in the FFN public vote awards whereby members of the public are encouraged to watch a short series of farm videos that can be seen on the FFN website, and vote for their favourite farming story.
This year’s public vote ambassadors are: Brigid O’Connor, Co. Kerry; James Ham, Co. Westmeath; Mark Gillanders, Co. Monaghan; Mark Harold-Barry, Co. Tipperary; and Sean Condon, Co. Limerick.
“These farmers represent a cross-section of the new group of 15 ambassadors and the aim of the public vote campaign is to raise awareness of the valuable work that so many farmers do to support nature on their land,” said awards co-ordinator Lucy Bowler.
People have until midnight on October 28, to vote for who they feel should win the overall Farming for Nature public vote award.
Lucy said that FFN is delighted to have ambassadors this year from Monaghan to Waterford, Clare to Kildare, from organic to conventional, from beef to forestry, tillage to HNV (High Nature Value) farming, all with so much to share on how to farm alongside nature.
“We would really encourage the public to view their stories to get a flavour of what farming for nature is all about, and also to vote for their favourite ‘story’,” she said.
“They can do so by simply visiting our website and choosing the farming story that resonates most with them.
“I think every farmer in Ireland will be able to relate to at least one of these stories and learn a little something. We plan to organise Q&As with these farmers and educational walks on these farms in 2023.”
The five ambassadors will be featured at the annual Burren Winterage Weekend on October 29, where the winner of the public vote award will be announced.
Ten additional ambassadors have been announced and will be profiled over the coming months, joining a network of 66 ambassadors from 2018-2021.
The FFN Awards are sponsored by Bord Bia and supported by a wide range of farming and conservation interests including the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the National Rural Network.