‘A good day for agriculture’

Arrabawn’s open day at Gurteen College

By Anna Powell

Over a thousand farmers were welcomed to Gurteen College on June 21 for Arrabawn’s open day, which emphasised the importance of ‘Protecting Our Farming Future’.

Crucial issues among farmers such as water quality, greenhouse gas emissions and sustainability were thoroughly discussed throughout the event. Attendees had the opportunity to meet with over 75 exhibitors, watch live demonstrations and listen to a 90-minute live talk and Q&A from a panel of guest speakers.

Eddie Burgess from the Teagasc ACP programme, Conor Mulvihill from Dairy Industry Ireland, Ted Massey, Senior Inspector at the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine (DAFM) and Edward Carr, Chairman of Arrabawn and ICOS participated in the live panel discussion, which was chaired by Damien O’Reilly from ICOS.

“I thought it was really good, very engaging, very positive and it was great to see such a large crowd here. I think Arrabawn did really well at getting some very key people that are relevant to dairy farming at the moment,” commented Damien O’Reilly. “I think today was another good demonstration of farmers’ interest in doing what’s best for the environment but also protecting their own incomes and their family incomes,” continued Mr O’Reilly.

INSPIRING EVENT

“It was really inspiring to see the amount of farmers that were here; today was a good day for agriculture. A lot of farmers had lots to do and to see. They took the time to learn about water quality, to learn about the environment and to learn about what’s happening in their co-op; it was truly inspiring,” commented Conor Mulvihill from Dairy Industry Ireland.

Arrabawn’s Open Day hoped to equip farmers with as much information as possible to help them tackle some of the most pressing issues in the agricultural industry. “I think everybody really enjoyed it and just from speaking to people afterwards, they got something from it,” commented Edward Carr, Chairman of Arrabawn Co-op just after the live Q&A and panel discussion.

“I think they are going home in a positive frame of mind. We have challenges, we have massive challenges as farmers, but they are all surmountable. At the end of the day our livelihoods will be protected; there is nothing to shy away from here. We can embrace these changes that have to be made and there will be a successful outcome from them.”

Arrabawn was delighted with the success of their event. “The Arrabawn open day was a remarkable achievement, boasting a considerable turnout and showcasing excellent collaboration among the various divisions of Arrabawn. A sincere thank you to the diligent and professional Agri team for their exceptional work both before and during the event.

“We hope everyone felt they gained or learned something from the event. The positive feedback received throughout and following the event was truly gratifying,” commented Joe McCarthy, Retail Area Manager at Arrabawn.