Last week saw the celebration of an important milestone for Irish farming, as the FBD Trust celebrated the 50th anniversary of its foundation.

Michael Miley’s book Mighty Oaks From Little Acorns Grow, launched on the night, documents how it was created as a philanthropic vehicle through which FBD could support farming and rural Ireland, as well as the many organisations and events that have benefited from over €70m of funding over the decades.

These include: Macra, via the FBD Young Farmer of the Year, Land Mobility programme, the Farm Skills and capers competition. Research centres at UCD’s Lyons Farm and Teagasc’s Moorepark, bearing the names of Paddy O’Keeffe and Padraig Walshe, have also been funded. ICBF, Irish Country Living’s Women & Agriculture conference and Nuffield scholars also benefit as well as a girls school in South Sudan and an ag college in Kenya.

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Michael Berkery, the FBD Trust chair, has served on the board since 1982. Limited copies are available on request from FBD Trust. Or ask Santa.