Tirlán and Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur are celebrating 50 years in partnership by opening applications for their third successive Sustainable Farming Academy.
20 farmers are being invited to enrol for the fully-funded year-long University College Cork (UCC) Diploma in Environment, Sustainability and Climate which begins in September 2024.
Director of Ingredients at Tirlán, Aoife Murphy, said that Tirlán is committed to supporting Irish farming communities in addressing environmental, and economic challenges by giving them the knowledge to farm more sustainably.
She added that this year marks a significant milestone for Tirlán and Baileys and the two companies are keen to continue working closely together to ensure “world-class, sustainable product and service.”
Global sustainability marketing manager for Baileys, Aisling Gorman, said:
“We believe the Sustainable Farming Academy can deliver fundamental changes in farming practices and we are immensely proud to support this initiative and to acknowledge this first class of graduates.”
Academy graduate and Co. Kildare dairy farmer, Larry Hannon spoke about his experience from the programme, he stated that the programme gave him a deeper understanding of what he needed to do on the farm to be more sustainable.
He added that he has applied much of what he has learned onto his own farm and that the juggle between college, the farming and rearing a family was a challenge but it was “worth it”.
A student who is currently studying at UCC at present, Rachel Creighton said:
“Water quality is a major focus on many farms, and the Academy has helped me focus on protecting that by looking at the projected nutrient flow on the farm and what could happen as a result of a significant rain event.
“We are now considering installing a silt tank for yard runoff and planting a riparian margin and extra hedgerows in strategic areas on our farm to prevent any potential water contamination,” she said.
Sustainable Farming Academy Diploma
The Sustainable Farming Academy Diploma is delivered mainly online and is tailored to fit in with each farmer’s full-time, on-farm responsibilities.
It equips Tirlán family farm suppliers with the most relevant and up-to-date knowledge to continue to address sustainability challenges. The Academy is also aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
The accredited and fully-funded Diploma is delivered through academic partner UCC. Participants are required to submit a number of assignments, all of which are scheduled during quieter times in the farming calendar.
The Diploma modules include Earth Science, Climate Change and Sustainable Development as well as Ecology, Applied Geographical Information Systems, Environmental Protection and Practical Environmental Management.
Among this year’s bursary award winners were:
- Joshua Mills from Kilcullen in Co. Kildare, who is studying at UCD;
- Sinead Cusack from Dunmore East in Co. Waterford who is studying at UCC;
- Daniel Kennedy from Coolgreany, Gorey, Co. Wexford who is studying in Dundalk Institute of Technology;
- Michael Ryan from Ballingarry in Co. Tipperary who is studying at the South East Technological University.
Applications for the Sustainability Farming Academy are now open and the programme begins in September 2024.