Clare Farm Idea Awards Competition Launched

Business & Finance - Farming & Fisheries

Friday, 22 October 2010 12:51

Written by Mike Fanning

The 2010 Clare Farm Idea Awards competition has been officially launched.

Information evenings will take place during October in the Teagasc offices of Ennistymon on the 26th, Kilrush on the 27th, Scarriff on the 28th, and Ennis on the 1st November, all commencing at 8pm. The closing date for applications will be 5pm on 15th November and the competition winners will be announced at an Awards Ceremony in the Woodstock Hotel, Ennis on 6th December at 2pm.

On the day of the launch, the organizers from Clare Local Development Company welcomed a good attendance of well-known and new faces from Clare farmers and those from a farming and agri-business background the Woodstock Hotel.

The afternoon started with a talk on LEADER funding by Gloria Callinan, Project Officer at Clare Local Development Company. She outlined that there is still plenty of funding available for rural entrepreneurs and expansions into projects like Diversification into Non-agricultural activities. So far, only €2.3million of the total LEADER fund available until 2013 has been allocated with a maximum budget of €10million available to rural development projects. She gave examples of projects that are currently and have previously been funded, including Caherconnell Stonefort, imecofarm, Atlantic Airventure and the Cusack Centre and strongly encouraged new ventures to come forward and apply for funding.

In his introductory talk about how to enter the competition, Gerry McDonagh, Rural Development Officer with Clare Local Development Company, outlined that all applicants need to do is fill in a form including basic questions like ‘Please explain your business idea’, ‘Who will buy your product or service?’, ‘What is the benefit of your product or service to the customer?’, ‘How will you let your customers know about your product or service?’ and ‘What will you need to make your business idea a reality?’. The forms are available during the information evenings as well as directly from Clare Local Development Company.

Gerry also added that this year the competition has three categories namely herd and fish number holders already in business, herd and fish number holders with no previous business experience and in addition, second level schools. He finished by announcing a seminar in February 2011 where all participants will be called back and have the opportunity to learn more about the next steps in making their ideas become a reality.

The official launch of the competition was announced by IFA Rural Development Chairman Tom Turley. He started his speech by saying: “With the Clare Farm Idea Awards being held in its second year and last year’s winner scoring high in the national equivalent of this competition, we have proven to have fantastic potential and a very high standard amongst our farmers in Co Clare and I am looking forward to learning about the new ideas put forward in 2010. Here I would like to very much encourage any farmer with an idea to do things differently to come forward, discuss and present their idea. Sometimes your own practical way of going things differently or more efficiently can have a huge impact and have the makings of a great business idea.”

Tom also thanked the sponsors as well as the organizers: “It is of course due the team at Clare Local Development Company that this competition is now running in its second year and I would also like to thank them very much for all their hard work. The competition would also not be possible without the sponsors who are being so very generous in these difficult economic times by giving a combined prize fund of €5000 and so forward thinking in supporting this competition.”

He finished his speech by saying: “As we have three categories this year the variety of entries promises to be exciting and varied. As a representative for the IFA and Rural Development in Co Clare and beyond I would like to wish all participants the very best of luck and success.”

Thanks to the support of a number of local businesses including Clean Ireland Recycling Ltd., Conor Engineering, Clare IFA, Happy Cow Milk Vending and The Renewable Energy and Eco Centre, imecofarm, the competition carries a prize fund of over €5000. Representing the main sponsor Clean Ireland Recycling Senan Keane said “As a local business Clean Ireland Recycling are once again delighted to support the Clare Farm Idea Awards competition. People from Clare are well able to come up with viable business ideas and with the help of Clare Local Development Company, it is a bit easier to bring these ideas to fruition.”

Roger Fahy, the winner of last years’ competition and owner of Linnalla Icecream in New Quay said this about his success in 2009: “It was great winning the award last year with our idea of milk vending idea for a number of reasons: Firstly, I researched this project with my 16 year old son who brought fresh ideas and he helped me to think differently. I would now be very much in favour of Father/Son teams in business as the combination of enthusiasm of youth with the life experience of the older generation is a great match.”

The organizers of Clare Farm Idea Awards agree with him on the spirit and enthusiasm of youth and have as a result added another category for schools to enter in this year’s competition.

Roger went on to say: “Secondly the confidence that winning gives you, meaning that the judges who are people with such great experience believe your idea to be viable idea is great and we really appreciated and took to heart the support and mentoring given at such an early stage of our business plan. Finally, we had so many phone calls from farmers from all over the county asking about our idea, wondering if they could use their ideas to generate an off farm income. The best advice I can give to other farmers is to ask yourself at all times in particular for repetitive and time-consuming tasks: Is there another way I can do this? How can I make this better?”

Roger added: “I will enter the competition again this year as it is a great outlet to get the old thinking cap on as the nights get longer and the farm working day gets shorter.”

Further information, including application forms may be obtained at the individual information evenings or from Hilary Gleeson 086-8235598, Gerry McDonagh 086-8544036 and Mary O’Sullivan 065-6866800.