The Irish Newbie competition for 2021 has recently closed for entries. New entrants include those who are newcomers to agriculture, those changing enterprise, those diversifying and successors on existing farms. The entries will now be shortlisted and the judging panel will visit each of the finalists. The farm visit will include an assessment of the business including production performance, financial viability, novelty of the business and the replicability of the business by other new entrants. The overall winner will receive a monetary prize and a plaque, as well as development of a YouTube video and extensive exposure through the media and social media.
The competition is a key component of the NEWBIE project and a great opportunity to showcase successful new entrant business models. The winning story and associated video has the potential to inspire and inform potential new entrants.
2019 winner
This is the second of three competitions to be run in Ireland. In 2019 new entrant snail farmer Steven Ryan was the overall winner. Steven looked at many options to secure the future of his beef and sheep farm before settling on snail farming. Snail farming offered a good income from a relatively small land area and the labour required fitted around the busy periods in the other enterprises. https://www.teagasc.ie/news–events/news/2020/steven-ryan-snail-farmer-.php
2020 winner
Kylie Magner of Magner’s Farm in Moyglass Co Tipperary was the overall winner of the 2020 Irish NEWBIE competition. Kylie and her husband Billy purchased a 20 acre holding while working in Australia. Upon returning to Ireland Kylie set about farming the land producing free range eggs. The farm has evolved introducing a rotational grazing system, adding cattle and sheep to compliment the hens and introducing new products such as chicken broth. Kylie is licenced egg packer enabling her to pack her own eggs and for other producers which could offer an additional revenue stream.
Read more about Kylie’s story here;
