Macra na Feirme’s young farmer of the year Daniel Hawthorne will take part in a farm safety showdown against New Zealand’s young farmer of the year James Robinson. The pair will take part in a safe driving competition as part of the Harry Ferguson Safe Tractor Driving Award which takes place on each of the three days of the Ploughing Championships.

The competitors will be judged on their health and safety approach to several tractor-based farm tasks in an effort to raise awareness of farm safety.

James Robertson won New Zealand’s young farmer title in July 2019 and currently works for Fonterra after completing a bachelor in agri commerce from Massey University where he was Massey’s agriculture student of the year and top farm management student in 2017.

Daniel Hawthorne from Co Monaghan was named the 2018 Macra na Feirme FBD Young Farmer of the Year in 2018. He is a former student of Ballyhaise Agricultural College and is a new entrant to the poultry sector. He has already obtained planning permission for a 12,000-bird free-range laying unit.

Macra events on Wednesday

At 2.30pm on Wednesday 18 September Macra’s president Thomas Duffy will participate in a panel discussion with James Robertson and Daniel Hawthrorne with a focus on climate change and sustainability, a key theme of this year’s Ploughing.