Online Auction Highland Heathers Ltd - In Receivership

Potting, Filling & Packaging Machinery, etc

Lochgilphead, Argyll
Starts 28 Sep 12 10:00 AM
Ends From 02 Oct 12 13:00 PM

Read more: Online Auction Highland Heathers Ltd - In Receivership

Danish Organic Farmers Visit Ireland

A group of fifty-two organic farmers from Denmark paid a four day visit to Irish organic farms and enterprises, starting with a demonstration farm walk at the organic farm of Mr Alan Mooney, Kilcock, County Kildare. Minister of State Shane McEntee TD said

Read more: Danish Organic Farmers Visit Ireland

Special Rate for Small Businesses at HTA Conference

Horticultural Trades Association member businesses with a turnover of under £1m can attend this year's HTA Garden Futures Conference for just £99 plus VAT.  "It's been a tough year for the horticultural sector," said HTA director of business development Tim Briercliffe, "and thanks to the sponsorship support for this year's event we're delighted to be able to offer a special rate for smaller businesses."

Read more: Special Rate for Small Businesses at HTA Conference

Tipperary Family Business Wins Overall National Organic Award 2012

The Best Overall Organic Product at today’s National Organic Awards 2012 was awarded to Crowe’s Farm for its Organic Dry Cure Back Rasher product, which was chosen for its high quality, superior taste and smart packaging. The prize was presented by Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with responsibility for Food, Horticulture & Food Safety Shane McEntee TD, who also announced the winners at the awards ceremony in Bord Bia.

Read more: Tipperary Family Business Wins Overall National Organic Award 2012

New Initiative Aimed at Developing Linkages Between the Agriculture and Health Care

The ‘Social Farming Across Borders’ (SoFAB) is an innovative project linking the health care and agriculture sectors in the north and south of Ireland to establish a novel social support service to improve health and support farm diversification. Launching the project at Loughry College alongside Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources for Ireland, Fergus O’Dowd, Minister O’Neill said: “Social farming provides an opportunity for a joined up approach to the care and rehabilitation of vulnerable groups in society.

Read more: New Initiative Aimed at Developing Linkages Between the Agriculture and Health Care

Rural NI Newsletter

Rural Report: News from the Rural Network for Northern Ireland.

Inspirational investing in rural areas’. Women Boost The Rural Economy.  Rural Network for Northern Ireland (RNNI) recently hosted a seminar focusing on the involvement of women in the Northern Ireland Rural Development Programme (NIRDP).

Read more: Rural NI Newsletter

Good and Bad News on Forestry

THE announcement that Coillte, in conjunction with the National Parks and Wildlife Service, is to develop 4,000 hectares of forestry in north Mayo as a wilderness area for conservation and amenity use is very good news. The land is on the eastern boundary of our newest National Park, around Ballycroy, which was established in 1998.

Read more: Good and Bad News on Forestry

GM Trials Not at Odds with Organic Production

Organic producers in Ireland have been told that the recent trials of GM potatoes in the country are not at odds with organic growing. "Knowledge is the only armour we have against a world of uncertainty," Teagasc director Gerry Boyle told 150 organic farmers and growers at the National Organic Conference in Tullamore, Co Offaly.

Read more: GM Trials Not at Odds with Organic Production

Marks & Spencer: Plan A - Sustainable Raw Materials - Meet Your Farmers

M&S has a heritage of working closely with UK and Irish producers. Take a farm tour above to meet some of the individuals who supply us and find out about the work they do, in support of our Plan A commitments, to produce fantastic quality food and flowers.M&S is committed to sourcing as much of its food as possible from the UK and Republic of Ireland.

Read more: Marks & Spencer: Plan A - Sustainable Raw Materials - Meet Your Farmers

The Value of Wetlands: Heritage Resource Conference

The aim of this conference is to raise awareness of the value and uses of wetlands and to share the experiences gained from applying the ICW concept and the creation of compensatory wetland habitat. The conference includes field visits to Fenor Bog and the Anne Valley wetlands. Work on wetlands by local artist Christine O’Brien-Shanahan will be on display at the conference. All interested in the values of wetlands and their ecosystem services are encouraged to attend.

Read more: The Value of Wetlands: Heritage Resource Conference

The Wheelbarrow Booster Battle in the Dragons Den

Northampton based company GreanBase will feature on BBC 2’s Dragons Den this Sunday 30th September in what will prove to be a memorable episode in the long running TV series. Father / son duo of Mike and Joe Smith pitch their simple gardening tool “The Wheelbarrow Booster” and receive positive reviews from all 5 Dragons but unfortunately give a rude awakening when it came to making their offers of investment.

Read more: The Wheelbarrow Booster Battle in the Dragons Den

Initiative to Improve Quality of Broadleaf Forests.

Shane McEntee TD, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, has welcomed an initiative to further develop and improve the quality and productivity of future broadleaf forests in Ireland and Britain. To-gether with Ms Michelle O’Neill MLA, Minister for Agriculture and Rural Develop-ment, Northern Ireland, he formally launched the Future Trees Trust which is now a registered charity in both the UK and Ireland.

Read more: Initiative to Improve Quality of Broadleaf Forests.

Anne McKenna of GCAI on What to Expect at REI John Stanley Workshop

As you all know, John Stanley will be in Ireland for a garden centre workshop this week. I was lucky enough to get a preview of his current thinking at GLEE last Tuesday & I can highly recommend him to anyone considering attending. I'm sure he'll expand on these themes on Wednesday but to whet your appetite, here's a taster;

Read more: Anne McKenna of GCAI on What to Expect at REI John Stanley Workshop

Bioenergy Commodity Trading 2012 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Below you have a list of events related to the WoodWisdom-Net Joint Research Programme.

2012-11-28: Bioenergy Commodity Trading 2012 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands

ACI’s 2nd Annual Bioenergy Commodity Trading event will take place in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, on 28-29 November 2012. This is the ideal setting to convene with your peers to discuss the roadmap to a sustainable bioenergy supply chain, focusing on national biomass subsidy schemes, sustainability & certification issues as well as assessing the business risk for the future.

Read more: Bioenergy Commodity Trading 2012 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Consumer Lifestyle Trends: Keeping it Real

The Consumer Lifestyles Trends Programme is a foundation of knowledge that allows the Irish Food and Drinks Industry to better predict and prepare for consumers’ future needs and wants. Last week we looked at the Consumers in Control trend which is all about pursuing better value, making smart choices and getting the most from your money.

Read more: Consumer Lifestyle Trends: Keeping it Real

Crowe’s Take Overall Award as IOFGA Members Do Exceptionally Well at National Organic Awards

The National Organic Awards were presented on Thursday Septemeber 13th at Bord Bia headquaters in Dublin. The Crowe brothers from Crowe’s farm in Dundrum, Co Tipperary took the overall best organic product as well as winning best fresh meat category for their back rashers.

Read more: Crowe’s Take Overall Award as IOFGA Members Do Exceptionally Well at National Organic Awards

Forest Sell-Off Minister Axed as Cameron Appoints Badger-Cull Advocate

Owen Paterson speaks to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during his term as Northern Ireland Secretary.

The woman who oversaw the forest sell-off debacle has been axed in David Cameron’s Cabinet reshuffle. Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman has been replaced by former Northern Ireland Secretary Owen Paterson, a keen horseman and opponent of bureaucracy.

Read more: Forest Sell-Off Minister Axed as Cameron Appoints Badger-Cull Advocate

Global Demand for Food Presents Major Sustainability Challenges for Irish Industry

Food production will need to increase by 50% by 2030 to feed the world’s population but this cannot be achieved without dramatic consequences for the environment, according to management and technology consultancy BearingPoint (www.bearingpoint.com). The findings are revealed as part of the BearingPoint Institute Report which includes a landmark study - “Will your company pass the sustainability stress tests?”

Read more: Global Demand for Food Presents Major Sustainability Challenges for Irish Industry

GLEE - David's Nurseries Win The Sun Vote for Greatest Garden Centre

David's Nurseries - Gold Winner of The Sun, customer vote for The Greatest Garden Centre Team with 50 or less staff.

Read more: GLEE - David's Nurseries Win The Sun Vote for Greatest Garden Centre

Organic Focus: ‘A New Phase in the Development of the Organic Sector’

The Minister of State said he hoped that the inaugural meeting of Organic Fo-cus marked the start of a new phase in the development of the sector. The group is made up of representatives of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Teagasc and Bord Bia as well as stakeholders from across the spectrum of the organic sector including meat, dairy, poultry, horticulture, cereals and aquaculture.

Read more: Organic Focus: ‘A New Phase in the Development of the Organic Sector’