This year’s FBD Young Farmer of the Year competition was launched on Thursday 28 July 2022 and applications are open.

The FBD Young Farmer of the Year Awards are run annually by Macra na Feirme in partnership with the IFA.

The competition was launched in 1999 and has been successful in raising the profile of young farmers within their community by recognising their achievements and contribution to farming.

Competition categories:

  • Drystock – beef and sheep farming.
  • Dairying.
  • Optimising land mobility – collaborative arrangements, share-milking, contract rearing etc.
  • Other enterprises – tillage, pigs, poultry, forestry, equine etc.
  • Career farm manager.

    • Additional awards

    The National Rural Network Biodiversity Award.

    More on the National Rural Network Biodiversity Award

    Ireland’s native fauna and flora are under threat and sustainable farming methods are essential to protect, enhance and halt the decline of biodiversity in Ireland.

    The National Rural Network Biodiversity Farmer of the Year Award hopes to draw attention to this issue by celebrating those who are farming in sustainable manner by protecting and enhancing biodiversity on their farms.

    Sustainability is quickly becoming a key driver for every management decision made on farms.

    Biodiversity is threatened by habitat loss, climate change and pollution. Agriculture can be a significant pressure on biodiversity.

    Other previous National Rural Network Biodiversity Farmer of the Year Award winners were:

  • 2021 – Eanna Tiernan from Co Roscommon.
  • 2020 – Joe Melody from Co Clare.
  • 2019 – Alan Doyle from Co Kilkenny.
  • 2018 – Raymond Langan from Co Mayo.