Category: front

Prize fund equating to over €80,000 in supports for innovative agri companies

The National Ploughing Championships Innovation Arena Awards, in conjunction with Enterprise Ireland and the Irish Farmers Journal, has opened for applications. Irish agri companies are invited to showcase their products and innovations at the heart of the NPA Innovation Arena at the National Ploughing Championships in Screggan, Tullamore, Co. Offaly, 19 -21 September 2017.

Innovation Awards winners will be announced across a range of categories including ‘Agri Engineering’ and ‘Agricultural Technology’. The overall start-up winner will be eligible to win up to €5,000 cash prize.
The Innovation Arena is the ideal place to showcase ground-breaking agri-related developments, whether they are inventions developed at home or professional innovations from top companies, to the thousands of visitors the National Ploughing Championships attracts each year.

This year’s Arena will focus on putting Irish agri-innovations on a world stage and will include seminars on Brexit, Agri-Careers and Global Markets as well as facilitating networking opportunities. Last year’s competition attracted 200 entries; 55 were shortlisted as 2016 finalists and invited to exhibit in the Innovation Arena.

Julie Sinnamon, CEO Enterprise Ireland said: “The agri sector is of huge importance to the Irish economy and a key role of Enterprise Ireland is to help companies in the sector scale-up. The Innovation Arena at the National Ploughing Championships is a key event for Enterprise Ireland where we showcase the top Irish agri-innovations to international buyers. This year, we will launch a new initiative that will see an ‘Innovation Boot Camp’ held on August 22 at the Irish Farmers Journal demonstration farm in Tullamore. This Boot Camp will deliver advice, mentoring, and support for innovators in the agri sector and we look forward to seeing the next wave of Irish agri companies coming to the fore”.

Justin McCarthy, CEO and Editor in Chief, Irish Farmers Journal said: “The Farmers Journal is leading change and innovation across the agricultural industry, and indeed in our own business. Irish agricultural products both in food and manufacturing have a worldwide reputation. Our green based production systems and spin off industries are the foundation of our success. The Farmers Journal is excited about our involvement with partners Enterprise Ireland and the National Ploughing to promote established and start-up companies.”
Anna May McHugh, Managing Director of the National Ploughing Championships said: “The National Ploughing has been a fore runner in innovation since 1931 for agriculture and indeed rural Ireland as a whole. We are again delighted to team up with Enterprise Ireland and the Farmers Journal to facilitate the Innovation Arena for 2017. This year sees the partnership grow even stronger with the largest arena ever and a strong focus on Irish manufacturing and products.”

The 2017 NPA Innovation Arena prize fund equates to over €80,000 in supports – up €15,000 when compared to last year’s competition. The overall award winner will receive a top prize worth €15,000 from Enterprise Ireland and The Irish Farmers Journal which includes advertising and PR support, mentoring and a cash prize of €5,000. All finalists will receive an advertising voucher to promote their innovation through the Irish Farmers Journal and a subsidised stand in the Innovation Arena for 2017. The final participants for the 2017 Innovation Arena will be selected on 22 August.

To enter this year’s Innovation Arena Awards please visit:
https://www.eventsforce.net/enterpriseireland/2074/register

First Cork Chairman For NPA In 57 Years

At the Annual General Meeting of the National Ploughing Association in Abbeyleix yesterday Denis Keohane, Clonakilty, West Cork was elected as Chairman marking the first West Cork Chairman since 1961 (Larry Sexton).

Farmer and contractor, Denis is a Director of the NPA for over 20 years, involved in ploughing since he was a teenager he has served his apprenticeship as an officer at all levels of the Association. A respected ploughing Judge at National and International level and a key figure in the running of the National Event Denis is an excellent choice for the position.

Padraig Nolan, Roscommon elected as Vice Chairman makes history as the first ever officer of the NPA from Roscommon.

The NPA reported another record breaking event in Screggan, Tullamore last year and confirming that plans for this year’s Championships at the same venue from 19th – 21nd September are well underway with Exhibition Space almost full at this stage.

Other business included Managing Director Anna May McHugh announced the publication of her autobiography by Penguin Ireland in September 2017 saying ‘I have been asked many times down through the years “when are you writing the book?” so it has been a long time coming. This is my 66th year working for the National Ploughing Association and I have lived through many changes and challenges in life, business and society. I am enjoying writing my story as it evokes so many memories and I hope readers will find that it’s worth the read!’

Europe’s largest outdoor event, “The National Ploughing Championships” is set to return to Screggan, Tullamore, Co Offaly on September 19^th, 20^th & 21st next year given the triumph of this year’s event.  The total attendance figures for the 2016 Championship came to a record breaking 283,000. This marks the most successful National Ploughing Championships in history.

 

The widely popular site was confirmed as the ideal location for the 2017 Championships at today’s prize-giving ceremony attended by over 500 in the Bridge House Hotel, Tullamore, Co Offaly.  Speaking after the announcement the NPA Managing   Director Anna May McHugh said “We are delighted to be staging the event in Screggan, Tullamore again next year.  Feedback from landowners, the local community and the wider public has been very positive and all were incredibly enthusiastic to see a return.”

“Speaking also with many of the exhibitors and visitors over the 3 days throughout the event, all were very vocal about their wishes to have it staged again in Screggan given how well it worked as a location this year.  The site has proved popular for several reasons including its central location and surrounding road and rail network.  By and large most people travelled to the site with ease and the minimum of traffic delays.  This has certainly helped the event in being such a success this year and we hope to repeat this again in 2017.”

Anna May McHugh also congratulated all of the winners who were awarded at today’s prize-giving ceremony.   Current World Ploughing Conventional Champion Silver Winner Eamonn Tracey from Carlow will again represent Ireland in next year’s World Ploughing Contest in Kenya.  And bronze medal winner John Whelan from Wexford will take part in the Reversible Class.