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The overall winner of the JFC Innovation Award for Rural
Business is Ralph Haslam of Mossfield Organic Farm, in County
Offaly.
The innovation awards for rural business are organised by
Teagasc, the Farmers Journal and the Department of Agriculture
and Rural Development in Northern Ireland. The awards carry
an overall prize fund of €36,000 in the form of cash,
business mentoring and promotion.
The award winner, Ralph Haslam, runs an organic dairy farm
in Birr, County Offaly and has developed a thriving organic
food business. He produces the award-winning Mossfield
Organic Cheese. A new food processing unit is currently
under construction and will be powered from a biodigestor
unit built on the farm. He receives a prize worth €15,000.
Twelve finalists selected from over sixty-four entries gathered
in Athlone on for the presentation of the awards. In addition
to the overall award there were three category winners. Jack
O'Connor, Biomass Heating solutions, Kantoher, County Limerick
won the environment and energy category award. He uses poultry
manure as biomass for heating.
The Manufacturing and Technology award went to Lorna Robinson,
Tandegree Road, Dungannon, County Tyrone. She developed a
business making a range of wholesome cooked pies and is now
ready to expand her facilities.
The third category winner was Michael O'Neill, Lickbarrahan,
Beara, County Cork, who developed an abalone farm to supply
high-value shell-fish to international markets.
The award scheme encourages an entrepreneurial spirit in
rural areas - particularly within the farming community. The
objectives of the competition are to encourage new ideas from
individuals living in rural areas and to help them develop
business ideas.
The awards are sponsored by entrepreneur - John Concannon
of the JFC Group, based in Galway. In addition to the twelve
finalists, the judges highly-commended four entries for their
business ideas.
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