Category: Exhibitor News 2016

Dovea Genetics Charity Auction 2016

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Dovea Genetics has a long working relationship with Bóthar involved in providing dairy semen to numerous countries Bóthar have a presence in. As they are celebrating their 25th anniversary in 2016, we decided to do something to show our gratitude for being able to work alongside them assisting in improving the standard of living of those in need.

We decided to mark the occasion of their 25th year by hosting a charity auction to raise funds for the wonderful work Bóthar are doing. In spring 2015, Dovea Genetics purchased six beef heifer calves from dairy cows with the aim of auctioning them off in 2016. In terms of a venue, we thought that the best place to raise awareness of the charity auction was to display the six heifer calves at the National Ploughing Championships and hold the auction at the 2016 National Ploughing Championships. We discussed our proposal for the charity auction with the National Ploughing Association and they kindly gave us permission to hold the charity auction.

The six calves were showcased at the 2015 National Ploughing Championships where there was huge interest in the calves and people were looking forward to seeing them again in 2016. The charity auction is taking place on Wednesday, 21st September at the National Ploughing Championships in Screggan, Co. Offaly at 2pm.

To help with the promotion of the auction, we have enlisted the help of six well known sports personalities in different sporting areas who will lead a calf each into the sales ring on the day of the auction. The identity of the six sports personalities will be kept under wraps until the launch night of the charity auction. On the day of the auction, the heifers will be auctioned off by a leading auctioneer and we are hopeful that the heifers will be sold for a substantial amount of money especially due to the fact that all the proceeds from the auction will go directly to Bóthar.

GOAL to unveil ‘African farm’ at 2016 Ploughing Championships

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Traditional African tools, crops, and new farming methods all to feature

International aid charity, GOAL, will present visitors to this year’s National Ploughing Championships in Tullamore, Co. Offaly, with an opportunity to experience the sights, sounds and smells of a typical African farm.

GOAL will use its exhibition space at the three-day event, which is being held this year from September 20th to 22nd, to demonstrate how some of the traditional farming practices that continue to be used in places like Ethiopia, South Sudan and Uganda are remarkably similar to farming traditions in Ireland more than 150 years ago.

The aid agency will also show how it is helping African farmers to produce more food for a rapidly expanding global population, one third of whom are currently fed through an estimated 500 million smallholder farms on an average land size of one GAA pitch.

The GOAL stand will allow people to see, touch and sample African crops like sorghum, cassava, chili pepper and sweet potato. Visitors will also have the opportunity to handle and test some of the traditional African tools, including shovels, hoes, sickles, wooden ploughs and other hand tools native to various regions.

Importantly, the exhibition space will include an interactive guide to some of the new farming methods that GOAL is promoting across parts of Africa, including the development of local agriculture markets, the use of mobile technology and the introduction of climate-smart agriculture.

“GOAL works with approximately 200,000 farmers across our countries of operation each year, helping some of the world’s poorest communities to grow more food, improve access to seeds and inputs, and sell more produce at better prices,” said GOAL CEO, Barry Andrews. “We promote technology that helps farmers get access to market information and improve yields, provide training and create opportunities for farmers to engage successfully with markets.

“We hope that our exhibition stand will help explain some of this work; highlight some of the main challenges faced by farmers in Africa, including water scarcity, drought and climate change; and how, with the support of aid agencies like GOAL, they are working to combat these challenges.

“Failure to produce more food will result in shortages and poorer health in developing countries, with damaging consequences for development and the potential for conflict within and between nations. It is important that we all understand that to prevent this, we must work with African farmers to increase their production and incomes in a sustainable way.”

Opportunities for women in agri-business to be highlighted at Ploughing

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This year’s Local Enterprise Village at the National Ploughing Championships will be home to 50 businesses started by women and the Local Enterprise Offices are encouraging more women to consider starting their own business in the sector.
The National Ploughing Championships, taking place from September 20th to 22nd, have become Europe’s largest outdoor event with 281,000 visitors last year. To help small businesses and start-ups make an impact on the rural economy, Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) in the local authorities network are introducing a new product launch and demonstration area within the Local Enterprise Village for 2016.
Of the 84 companies that will be showcasing their products and services, with the support of the LEOs in every county and city, approximately 50 of them were founded or co-founded by female entrepreneurs.
The female entrepreneurs inside the Local Enterprise Village operate within a wide range of business categories, across food, drink, skincare, children’s toys, books, jewellery, fashion and giftware. Services for the agri-sector are also represented, such as soil, milk and water testing, manufacturing of sprayer attachments and genetic identification services.
Marcella Rudden with the Local Enterprise Offices said: “There are lots of growth opportunities in the agri-business sector and in the rural economy generally, for both business-to-consumer and business-to-business companies. For example, small businesses inside the Local Enterprise Village generated sales and orders worth nearly €645,000 last year. Following in the footsteps of the 50 businesses in the Local Enterprise Village that were either founded or co-founded by women, we’re encouraging more aspiring female entrepreneurs to start their own business in this sector and to seek out the supports that are available to them through Local Enterprise Offices in the local authorities network.”
The plans for the Local Enterprise Village were announced over the summer by the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Ms. Mary Mitchell O’ Connor T.D., the Local Enterprise Offices, Enterprise Ireland, the Local Government Management Agency and the National Ploughing Association.
More details around the Local Enterprise Village are available through www.localenterprise.ie and by searching #localenterprise on social media. The 85th Annual National Ploughing Championships run over three days from September 20th to 22nd in Tullamore, Co. Offaly and tickets are on sale HERE