We are halfway through the Macra na Feirme photo competition for 2017 which is giving Irish farm families the chance to win a €200 gift voucher each month for 2017, with the overall winner at the end of the year receiving €1,000.

The #OriginGreen #ItStartsHere sustainable Irish farming photo competition is supported by An Bord Bía and so far we have received some truly breathtaking shots, from lambing season snaps to silage cutting.

If you haven’t entered yet or are looking for additional guidance on the types of photos we’re after, remember that the aim of this competition is to raise awareness about the achievements and beauty of sustainable practices on Irish farms.

Irish farmers who are certified members of the Bord Bia Quality Assurance Schemes and who participate in a farm sustainability survey as part of their audit, are the essential first link in Origin Green – the only sustainability programme in the world to operate at a national scale showcasing Irish produce in global and home markets.

Irish farmers can see every day at first hand and throughout the seasons of the year, the beauty associated with sustainable farming practices:

  1. Good grassland management practices produce lush green grass.
  2. Care of natural environments such as wildlife habitats or promotion of biodiversity.
  3. The arrival of young animals through successful & improved breeding programmes.
  4. The freedom and welfare of animals grazing outdoors and part of effective herd health management programmes.
  5. The innovation and initiative shown on Irish farms to reduce outputs, ranging from water harvesting to energy saving measures.
  6. The spotless hygiene and attention to detail which supports food safety.
  7. The social fabric of Irish farming, underpinned by family heritage and country living.

GET SNAPPING FOR THE SUMMER

Macra na Feirme National President James Healy is encouraging everyone to get snapping over the summer he said, ‘Whether it’s a mobile phone or a camera, everyone has the ability to take a good quality photo and we have had many beautiful photographs in our Bord Bia competition so far, that showcase the very best in sustainable Irish farming practices. Sustainable farming and efficient farming go hand in hand and can help to preserve your farm and land for future generations.  Today with social media, most people are budding photographers and by sending in your photos of the Irish countryside, you give yourself a good opportunity to win some great prizes as well as publicity for your photography skills.’

The winning photo is published in the Irish Farmers Journal every month.

You can enter instantly on Twitter with tag and hashtags: @MacraNaFeirme  #OriginGreen #ItStartsHere 

Photographs can also be emailed to jcoffey@macra.ie, with subject line ‘Photo competition, Origin Green It Starts Here’.

All entrants, on Twitter or email, must include their name, location of the photograph, the date the picture was taken and brief description of what is captured in the picture.

Please check out the rules of the competition at www.macra.ie/origingreen before entering. Farmers can find out more about becoming part of Origin Green at www.bordbia.ie/farmersorigingreen and about the Origin Green marketing initiative at www.origingreen.ie

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