Young farmers involved in sectors such as beef, dairy, sheep, tillage, horticulture, pigs and poultry are invited to enter and the winner of each sector will compete to be crowned the 2018 FBD Young Farmer of the Year.

This year there are also new feature awards for the Best Emerging Female Farmer, Best Emerging Male Farmer along with awards in land mobility and farm collaboration.

The Land Mobility Award will focus on farmers who display innovative solutions to accessing and utilising land for farming.

The Farm Collaboration Award will focus on collaborative farming arrangements that best demonstrate the benefits of collaborations such as long-term leases, registered partnerships, share farming, share milking and contract rearing for all parties involved.

Don't be afraid to back yourself

There is also a new biodiversity award this year, supported by the National Rural Network.

The winner of the award will receive a travel bursary and the opportunity to experience farm practices abroad, while also developing their skills.

As in previous years, all county winners will also receive an award. You can nominate a young farmer for one of the categories or you can enter yourself by visiting macra.ie/yfy.

The closing date for applications is Friday, 18 May 2018. County rounds must be completed by 18 June 2018 and the semi finals will be held on 18 July, the final will take place on Tuesday, 11 September in the FBD Castleknock Hotel, Dublin.

In order to be eligible, farmers must be under 35 years of age on 1 January 2018 and a member of Macra na Feirme or the IFA.

Farmers must also be involved in the running of the farm on which they currently work for a least three years, either full-time or part-time.

All 2017 county winners and all past "Macra na Feirme FBD Young Farmer of the Year" winners are ineligible to enter – all other entrants from last year and previous years may enter the competition.

Showcasing skills

Macra na Feirme national president James Healy said: “The longevity and growth in importance of this competition is thanks to the great support of our sponsor FBD, our partner the IFA and the calibre of entrants who make this competition such a prestigious event.

“This is a great competition and it gives young farmers from all backgrounds an opportunity to showcase the skills and knowledge they have acquired during their career to date.

“I encourage all young farmers to enter. It is a fantastic experience enabling you to share experiences and to make lifelong friendships along the way,” he said.

Fiona Muldoon, chief executive of FBD Insurance plc said: “As Ireland’s only truly Irish farm insurer, we are committed to supporting each generation of Irish farmers through research grants, education sponsorships, farm safety campaigns and prestigious competitions such as this one that strive for excellence in modern farming.

“I expect we will have another keenly contested competition this year and a winner who represents all that is best about modern Irish farming.”

Encouraging all young farmers to participate, IFA president Joe Healy said: “We have an abundance of talented young farmers in this country, in every sector.

“Macra has a long tradition of identifying and developing future leaders in the farming community, including through this competition.

“This is your chance to put yourself forward, expand your knowledge and be recognised for your hard work and ambition. Don’t be afraid to back yourself.”