The fourth ‘Focus on Farmers’ Virtual Farm Walk & Discussion will look at innovative ways farmers can profit from environmental farming methods.

Run by AgriSearch (the Northern Ireland Agricultural Research and Development Council), it will include Dr. John Gilliland, director of Global Agriculture at Devenish, as a special guest speaker.

The event titled ‘Putting theory into practice accelerating our journey to carbon neutrality’ will take place on Monday, September 21 at 8:00pm.

Dr. Gilliland will speak on the pioneering work on developing a net farm carbon balance sheet at Dowth Estate.

Two farmers – Sam Chesney from Co. Down and James Evans from Shropshire – will also talk about their personal experiences on the steps they are taking to move towards carbon neutrality on their farms.

Speaker

Dr. Gilliland is a former president of the Ulster Farmers’ Union and has a unique breadth of experience in the world of farming, food and the environment.

He was previously vice-chairman of the UK Sustainable Development Commission, chairman of the Rural Climate Change Forum in London and a non-executive Director for SRUC and the Northern Ireland Authority of Energy Regulation.

Gilliland has also represented UK agriculture at the World Trade Talks in Cancun as well as the UK Government at the Climate Change Summit in Copenhagen.

He is also chairman of the Expert Working Group for Northern Ireland’s Agricultural Land Management Strategy.

Those wishing to take part in the virtual farm walk can register on the AgriSearch website.