FBD Young Farmer of the Year 2024
The FBD Young Farmer of the Year Awards in association with Macra, are sponsored annually by FBD and run by Macra in partnerships with the IFA and Macra Agricultural Skillnet. The competition was launched in 1999 and has been successful in raising the profile of young farmers within their community by recognising their achievements and contribution to farming.
Categories & Awards
The competition includes category awards for:
- Dairy
- Dry stock (Beef and Sheep Farming)
- Career Farm Management
- Land Mobility (Collaborative Arrangements, Shared Milking, Contract Rearing, etc.)
- Other Enterprises (including Horticulture, Pigs, Poultry, Tillage, Equine, etc.)
Young farmers in these sectors are invited to enter and the winner of each category will compete to be crowned the 2024 FBD Young Farmer of the Year. There are also awards for Best Young Entrant (Under 23 years of age) and Macra Agricultural Skillnet Biodiversity Award.
Key Dates
- Application Opening Date: 27th May 2024
- Application Closing Date: 19th July 2024
- Video Interview Screening: July/August 2024
- Semi-Final Interviews: August 2024
- Final: 10th September 2024, The Heritage Hotel, Laois
Who is Eligible?
To enter the competition farmers must be:
- Under 35 years of age on 1st January 2024 and a member of either Macra or the IFA.
- Involved in the running of the farm on which they currently work, for at least three years, either full time or part time.
Application / Nomination
Members can nominate a young farmer for one of the categories or complete the self-application form. All nominations will be invited to complete the full application form.
Nomination Form: Access Link Here >>
Self Application Form: Access Link Here >>
Video Interview Screening
Applicants will be asked to complete an interview online. Each candidate will receive the same questions. The video interviews will be screened by two judges who will choose the semi-finalists for the competition.
Semi-Final Interviews
The semi-final interviews will take place in August 2024. Five category winners and one wild card will be selected to go forward to the final on 10th September in the Heritage Hotel, Laois. All semi-finalists will be invited to attend the final and the finalists will be announced after lunch on 10th September.
Final & Prizes
The FBD Young Farmer of the Year Final will take place on 10th September in the Heritage Hotel, Laois. All six finalists will be invited to interview on the afternoon of 10th September in the Heritage Hotel, Laois.
The prizes are as follows:
- Overall Winner: €5000
- Each Category Winner: €1000
- Best Young Entrant: €1000
- Macra Agricultural Skillnet Biodiversity Award: €500
- Each winner will also receive vouchers from the FBD Hotel Group and FBD Insurance.
*This competition is subject to annual review in consultation with FBD and IFA. Accordingly, these details may change.
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FBD Young Farmer of the Year 2023
Congratulations to Dwayne Shiels from Donegal for being crowned our 2023 FBD Young Farmer of the Year Winner!
What a night & what an incredible group of people we had contesting for this year’s FBD Young Farmer of the Year Awards!
Huge congratulations to each of our 15 semi-finalists! You really are all fantastic ambassadors for Irish Farming in your fields
A special well done to all of our category and award winners and to our runner up!
- Land Mobility & Overall Winner - Dwayne Shiels from Donegal
- Dry stock & Runner Up - Patrick Egan from Mayo
- Best New Entrant - Stephen O’Keeffe from Limerick
- Other Enterprises - Philip Tallon from Meath
- Dairy - Sean Kelly from North Tipperary
- Macra Agricultural Skillnet Biodiversity Category Award - Conor Doran from Wexford.
Well done to you all & we hope you continue to enjoy the celebrations
Previous FBD Young Farmer of the Year Winners
- 2023: Dwayne Shiels
- 2022: Christopher Tuffy
- 2021: Owen Ashton
- 2020: Dara Kileen
- 2019: Liam Hanrahan
- 2018: Daniel Hawthorne
- 2017: PJ O Keefe
- 2016: Kevin Moran
- 2015: Jonathan Marry
- 2014: Sean O Donnell
- 2013: John Buckley
- 2012: Dermott O Connor
- 2011: Kevin Heavin
- 2010: Paul Kehoe
- 2009: William Keane
- 2008: Timothy Quinn
- 2007: Bryan Daniels
- 2006: Eddie O Donnell
- 2005: John McNamara
- 2004: Martin Brosnan
- 2003: Michael Gowing
- 2002: Michael Reidy
- 2001: Andrew Killeen
- 2000: Con O Connell
- 1999: Michael Dee