The Northern Ireland farming industry put on the glamour for the 12th annual Farming Life awards, in association with Cranswick Country Foods.
The annual event, held in the Crowne Plaza Hotel, was attended by around 200 people from all sectors right across the industry.
The awards are an opportunity to throw the spotlight on some of the individuals and businesses that help to make the Northern Ireland industry so special.
Compere on the night was popular weather man and TV personality Barra Best and the charity was Air Ambulance NI.
Farming Life editor Ruth Rodgers commented: “This year, as always, entries across all categories exceeded our expectations in both numbers and the calibre of those involved. It has made judging an incredibly difficult task, but one that was very enjoyable as we read about the history of businesses and their developments and about people and their successes and achievements and indeed challenges.
“As we celebrate our industry here tonight, it must be remembered that we are facing a time of uncertainty and difficulty in the months ahead.
“We are fortunate that we have an industry which has resilience and a ‘can do’ attitude at its core. And I have no doubt that our farmers will adapt and evolve to meet the challenges head on.”
The annual event, held in the Crowne Plaza Hotel, was attended by around 200 people from all sectors right across the industry.
The awards are an opportunity to throw the spotlight on some of the individuals and businesses that help to make the Northern Ireland industry so special.
Compere on the night was popular weather man and TV personality Barra Best and the charity was Air Ambulance NI.
Farming Life editor Ruth Rodgers commented: “This year, as always, entries across all categories exceeded our expectations in both numbers and the calibre of those involved. It has made judging an incredibly difficult task, but one that was very enjoyable as we read about the history of businesses and their developments and about people and their successes and achievements and indeed challenges.
“As we celebrate our industry here tonight, it must be remembered that we are facing a time of uncertainty and difficulty in the months ahead.
“We are fortunate that we have an industry which has resilience and a ‘can do’ attitude at its core. And I have no doubt that our farmers will adapt and evolve to meet the challenges head on.”
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NewsTranscript
00:00 [Music]
00:03 with Branswick Country Foods please
00:07 welcome Martin Walsh from Branswick Foods
00:10 to announce our winner.
00:16 And this award recognizes those rural
00:19 businesses that have grabbed their
00:20 future with both hands and diversified
00:22 their operations,
00:23 changing the course of their ambitions by
00:25 embracing a diversification project
00:28 that excels in its field and sustains
00:30 their farming operations.
00:32 The finalists are
00:34 Alderhammond Wedding Barn,
00:38 Formanna Fun Farm CIC,
00:40 Glenshield Country Farm,
00:43 and North Coast Alpacas.
00:48 One of the finalists stood out for the
00:50 judges because of their excellent use of
00:52 tourism grant unit to diversify their
00:54 farm business
00:56 into a former forward-thinking enterprise.
00:58 Their submission met all the criteria
01:00 and showcased a remarkable diversification
01:02 strategy that maintains their
01:04 traditional farm activities while
01:06 targeting a specific audience.
01:08 So Martin, let us know who the winner is.
01:12 The winner is Glen Shane Country Farm.
01:16 [Music]
01:20 [Applause]
01:23 This is the Digital Development Award.
01:43 Please give a warm welcome to
01:45 Andrena Leprey from National World
01:47 Agriculture to present this award.
01:49 [Applause]
01:52 In this we recognize the rapid growth of
01:55 digital innovation in agriculture and
01:57 celebrates those who have utilized the
01:59 digital technology to grow their business
02:01 or promote the wider agri-industry to the public.
02:04 And the finalists are
02:06 Ballyholy Dexter's and Mark High.
02:10 [Applause]
02:13 Although the judges acknowledge the
02:15 worthiness of both nominees, they found
02:17 the winner's submission to be truly
02:19 outstanding. The concept of integrating
02:21 technology to bridge the gap between the
02:23 public and the farm foods production is
02:25 commendable. Their entry was not only
02:27 excellent but also highly detailed.
02:29 The winner serves as a shining example of
02:31 how digital innovation can transform and
02:34 distinguish a business, not only for its
02:36 core operations but also for monitoring
02:39 and enriching the farm's biodiversity.
02:41 They have effectively leveraged
02:43 multimedia platforms to engage with the
02:45 general public, educating them about
02:47 farming practices and meat traceability.
02:50 And this effort has garnered public
02:52 interest and trust, leading to increased
02:54 meat sales. Overall, this business is a
02:56 source of inspiration on multiple fronts.
02:59 Over to you, Andrena.
03:02 And the winner is Ballyholy Dexter's.
03:05 [Applause]
03:09 [Music]
03:13 [Applause]
03:16 Hi, Andrena. So thank you for staying on
03:40 stage. There are two parts to this award.
03:42 The first celebrates an agri-related
03:44 tourist attraction and the second an
03:46 event that has showcased the agri industry
03:49 to the wider public. So the finalists are
03:52 A.H.V. 20th Northern Ireland Multibreed
03:55 Calf Show, Glen Sheep Country Farm,
04:00 Mount Panther Farm Park, North Coast
04:03 Alpacas, the Spring Farm Machinery Show
04:08 Balmoral, and the 2023 Balmoral Show.
04:12 Now, the first award is for Tourist
04:14 Attraction of the Year. The judges found
04:16 the submission of the first winner to be
04:18 highly inspirational. This individual
04:20 demonstrated a proactive approach in
04:22 diversifying their farm business,
04:24 utilizing resources like tourism, funding
04:26 to drive progress. They have successfully
04:30 secured significant funding and annually
04:32 attract a large number of tourists to
04:34 their farm, a noteworthy achievement.
04:37 So who's the winner, Andrena?
04:40 And we're on the double. Glen Sheep Country Farm.
04:44 [Music]
05:07 Good stuff, well done. And the second
05:10 award is for Event of the Year. Our
05:12 panel of judges believe the recipient
05:14 of this award submitted a highly
05:16 impressive entry that effectively brings
05:18 the agricultural industry to a broader
05:20 audience. And, Andrena, once again, is
05:23 going to tell us who the winner is.
05:25 Don't work too hard tonight, pal.
05:27 Balmoral Show.
05:29 [Music]
05:58 [Music]
06:14 Well done, congratulations.