Mike Neary, Director of Horticulture at Bord Bia, reports in from the inaugural Origin Green Farmer Awards
The Origin Green Farmer Awards were presented in December to recognise and reward the exceptional performance of its Sustainable Quality Assurance schemes for beef, horticulture and dairy. These schemes are pivotal to differentiating Irish food products in the global marketplace. Participating farms meet high standards around food safety, animal health, welfare and traceability.
Twelve horticultural producers were shortlisted based on their overall audit performance in the Sustainable Horticulture Assurance Scheme since its launch in November 2017. Each shortlisted finalist was visited by an independent judging panel and was assessed across sustainability topics including crop husbandry, health and safety, farm labour, local community involvement, environmental/biodiversity measures and energy usage. These finalists are among the top performing horticultural farms in Ireland producing high-quality fresh produce.
Judging for the horticulture sector was completed by experts from Teagasc, University College Dublin and IT Blanchardstown. The judges commended the positive attitude and clear understanding of the importance of farm sustainability demonstrated by the finalists. Each finalist exhibited an inherent understanding of the importance and relevance of implementing strategies to promote safe working systems for staff, increasing energy efficiency, and protecting and enhancing biodiversity and the environment on their farms using modern technologies allied to well-established good agricultural practices.
The shortlisted horticultural companies spanned a wide range of produce across mushrooms, field vegetables, potatoes, fruits and protected crops and included Clune Mushrooms, Clonoulty, Co Tipperary; Danescastle Soft Fruit Farm, Co Wexford; Lispopple Apples, Swords, Co Dublin; and Flynn’s Irish Tomatoes, Bealinstown, Swords, Co Dublin. Potato Category: John, David and Joe Rodgers, Co Dublin; Kilmore Potatoes Ltd, Wexford; and Martin Kehoe, Co Carlow, Field Veg Category: Eamonn Murphy, Co Dublin; Leo Murphy Produce Ltd, Co Dublin; John B Dockrell, Co Wexford; and Hilltown Growers Ltd, Garristown, Co Dublin.
THE WINNERS IN THE HORTICULTURE CATEGORIES WERE:
MUSHROOM
REILLY MUSHROOMS
Walderstown, Athlone
Reilly Mushrooms Ltd is a family business, established in 1988 by Gerard and Mary Reilly with four family members now involved in the day to day farm operations. The business has grown over the years and now employs more than 50 people. Considerable investment and expansion have been undertaken over the years moving from three to 16 tunnels, making this a very modern and efficient farm. The farm produces approximately 50,000kg of the closed cup and flat white mushrooms per week. To ensure consistency and high standards are met daily, the team at Reilly’s has set out very clear procedures and protocols to meet customer and market demands. Biosecurity on the farm to keep disease out of the mushrooms houses is a key management focus; having recently investing €200k in a centralised piped steam sterilisation system Reilly’s has managed to eliminate the need for any disinfectant use on the farm.
Key sustainability measures on the farm include:
● The use of renewable fuel and solar panels for electricity production;
● Use of lean management techniques to drive efficiencies on the farm;
● Reviewing options for alternative packaging and market diversification;
● Implementing a high level of health and safety on the farm, and paying close attention to staff welfare.
PROTECTED CROPS AND FRUIT
FLYNN’S IRISH TOMATOES
Swords, Co Dublin
This is a modern and very efficient farm managed by Martin Flynn. Employing nearly 12 full-time staff, the workforce expands to 25 during harvest. Excellent production, packing and staff facilities ensure a good working environment. Martin has invested heavily in both infrastructure and technology, allowing him to both maximise and monitor yield performance and predict production forward.
Key sustainability measures:
● Customer and supplier relationship development;
● Water management includes rainwater harvesting and recirculation of fertigation water;
● Waste management planning includes reduced crop wastage through late-season management of plant ripening;
● Use of high-efficiency boilers and extraction of CO2 from boiler exhaust used to feed plants;
● Embedded integrated pest management includes environmental controls and the use of advanced spraying technology.
POTATOES
KILMORE POTATOES LTD
Kilmore, Co Wexford
John and his brother, Chris Fortune, grow a wide range of potato varieties to cater to several market segments, including the planting of salad potatoes to meet a growing market segment commonly met by imported produce. Kilmore Potatoes provide jobs for eight full-time staff, and seasonal workers as required. John is an advocate of changing energy supplier to get the best deals and reduce costs. Integrated pest management is practiced, reducing dependency on plant protection products.
Key sustainability measures:
● Biodiversity measures include 30 acres of uncropped lands across the farm;
● Nutrient management practices include regular soil analysis aimed at addressing any deficiencies matched to crop needs;
● Use of precision GPS guided equipment;
● Diversification of varieties grown to access new markets.
FIELD VEGETABLES
JOHN B DOCKRELL
Enniscorthy, Co Wexford
John B Dockrell is a grower of carrots and lettuce, supplying carrots for 40 weeks of the year. The farm employs 31 permanent and 36 seasonal staff. The Dockrell’s are planning to install solar panels to provide the daytime energy requirements of the business.
Key sustainability measures:
● Soil compaction minimised through the use of tracked machinery for harvest operations;
● Walking floor trailers used to reduce breakage of carrots;
● Regular soil and plant tissue analysis carried out to maximize nutrient management;
● All field operations are carried out using GPS guided equipment;
● Appropriate intervention timing based on monitoring pest thresholds;
● Five acres of reed beds installed to filter and clean water from carrot washing;
● Irrigation water for lettuce is treated using UV and is controlled, recorded and monitored using an app. ✽
 MIKE NEARY, Director of Horticulture at Bord Bia. For further information contact the Horticulture Division at Bord Bia. |
