14 April 2026

Recognising excellence in grassland

Top grassland farmers from across the country have been recognised as part of the Pasture Progress Awards.

The awards, an annual initiative stemming from the Grass10 Campaign, followed a new approach this year. A farm from each county received a Pasture Progress award at three award ceremonies held recently in three locations: Teagasc Johnstown Castle, Teagasc Ballyhaise College, and Teagasc Moorepark. From these, a farm from each region received the Pasture Progress award for that region and will go forward to the competition for the Overall Winner of the Pasture Progress Awards.

Leinster Regional Award Winner
Liam Rochford, Co. Wexford, Leinster Regional Winner of the Pasture Progress Awards 2025, is pictured at Teagasc Johnstown Castle with Daire Cregg (Farmers Journal), Stephen Carey (Grassland Agro), Michael Murphy (AIB Regional Agri Advisor), John Macnamara (Chair of the Teagasc Grass10 Programme), Nikki Kennedy (Teagasc), and Kenneth Barry (FBD).

Munster Regional Award Winners
Esther Walsh and Anne Keane, Co. Waterford, Munster Regional Winners of the Pasture Progress Awards 2025, are pictured at the presentation of the Teagasc Grass10 Pasture Progress Awards at Teagasc Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork. Also pictured are James Keane and Oisín Shannon (relatives of the award winners); John Macnamara (Chairman, Grass10); Clodagh Bolger (Grassland Agro); John Ryan (FBD); Aidan Brennan (Farmers Journal); Shane McCarthy (AIB); Liz Hyland (DAFM); Clodagh Forbes (AIB) and Nikki Kennedy (Teagasc Grass10).

Connacht/Ulster Regional Award Winner
David Williamson, Co. Cavan, Connacht/Ulster Regional Winner of the Pasture Progress Awards 2025, is pictured at Teagasc Ballyhaise College with Conor McGovern (FBD); Peter Linden (Grassland Agro); Daire Cregg (Farmers Journal), Ian Williamson, Glenn Williamson and David Williamson (Award Winners), Nikki Kennedy (Teagasc), Marie Kenny (DAFM), and Patrick Butterly (AIB Regional Agri Advisor).

These farmers are growing and utilising more pasture on their farms, contributing to sustainable livestock production systems. This progress was assessed using PastureBase Ireland, the number one tool to help Irish dairy, beef and sheep farmers manage their pasture production and utilisation. The awards are supported by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with an overall prize fund of €40,000.

The Pasture Progress Awards are part of the Teagasc Grass10 Campaign, which is supported by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Teagasc, AIB, FBD, Grassland Agro and the Irish Farmers Journal.

“I want to congratulate all the winners and wish them the best in the next stage of the competition. They are very enthusiastic about grazing and can be immensely proud of what they have achieved. It is important that the winners take this enthusiasm back to the farming community,” Chair of the Grass10 Committee, John Macnamara said.

Acknowledging that it was fantastic to recognise the progress farmers across the country are making in terms of pasture management, Grass10 Advisor, Nikki Kennedy added: “Seeing so many farmers progress growing and utilising more pasture and grazing it at the best quality is really encouraging.”