2014 is the UN Food and Agriculture ‘Year of the Family Farm’. Around the world, during this year, the profile of family farming and smallholders is being raised by focusing attention on its significant role in providing food security and nutrition, improving livelihoods, protecting the environment, and achieving sustainable development.

Given the critical role of the family farm in Ireland, Teagasc is proud to support the Irish family farm. As part of its activities to mark the International Year of the Family Farm, Teagasc are producing a series of online videos, featuring farming families in different parts of the country, looking at the role of the family and their contribution to farming throughout the year.

The first family featured are the Calvey family from County Mayo, located four miles from Westport in the townland of Knappabeg.

Martin and Maria Calvey, along with their three children, Ciaran, Conor and Aisling work together as a family unit on their suckler and sheep enterprises. Teagasc adviser Mary Roache describes this farm as typical of the area with a mix of lowland and hill land used for the cattle and sheep enterprises. The lowland sheep flock consists of Suffolk cross ewes, while the hill sheep flock are a cross between Blue Faced Leicester and Blackface Mountain. The suckler enterprise consists of a pedigree herd of 20 Charolais and 5 Angus cows. All bulls are kept on and sold as breeding animals at specialised sales, usually in Carrick-On-Shannon or Tullamore. Martin is an active member of both sheep and beef discussion groups, which are facilitated by Teagasc, and the family has also found the Teagasc e-Profit Monitor an invaluable management tool in planning on the farm.

Further Irish families will be featured over the coming weeks.

Irish Farmers Journal COMPETITION:

With €25,000 worth of prizes up for grabs, don’t miss your chance to enter the UN Year of Family Farming Awards, sponsored by FBD and supported by Teagasc and the IFA. For entry details, see page 19 of this week's Farmers Journal. Closing date July 18th. http://www.farmersjournal.ie/un-year-of-family-farming-awards-158285/