The first-ever awards for the best environmental farmers in Laois were presented at a special ceremony in County Hall in mid May.
The winners of the 2019 Laois Co Council cathaoirleach’s award for good environmental practice on the farm were Pat and Ronan Kavanagh from Kilbricken. The runners-up were Joe and Mickey Hyland from Aghaboe, Abbeyleix. The winner received €1,500 in prize funding and a trophy, while the runner-up received €500. At the awards ceremony Councillor Tom Mulhall said: “Farmyards are now spotlessly clean, what with health and safety a big thing on farms now.
“In 2005 we lost our sugar industry. When talk of Brexit started, we lost our mushroom industry and now the beef industry is not terribly far from collapse either.”
Shortly thereafter a €50m European Commission aid fund was agreed for Irish beef farmers.
