A Waterford dairy farmer has been selected as one of just eight farms across the country to take part in a new Tirlán initiative designed to support more sustainable and profitable farming.

Linda O’Neill, from Old Parish, has been named as one of the inaugural FarmElevate Lighthouse Farms.

The five-year programme, which was developed by Tirlán in partnership with Teagasc, aims to help farmers improve productivity, profitability and sustainability through peer-to-peer learning and knowledge sharing.

Waterford Farmer Linda ONeill
Pictured (L-R) at the FarmElevate Lighthouse Farm Launch on the Murphy Family Farm in Bennettsbridge, Co. Kilkenny are: Thomas Curran, Head of Advisory, Teagasc; Teagasc Chairperson, Liam Herlihy; Lighthouse Farmer, Linda O’Neill; Tirlán Chairperson, Gerard O’Brien and Joint Programme Coordinator Seamus Kearney.

Linda’s farm was chosen for its strong farm management, innovation and commitment to sharing knowledge with other farmers.

Alongside seven other dairy farms from across the Tirlán catchment, the Lighthouse Farms will showcase best practice in areas including grassland management, breeding, labour efficiency, nutrient management, renewable energy, technology adoption and business resilience.

Launching the programme, Tirlán Chief Executive Seán Molloy said the initiative will help farm families adopt proven practices while strengthening profitability, sustainability and resilience.

Teagasc Director Professor Frank O’Mara said farmer-to-farmer learning is one of the most effective ways to encourage best practice and improve both business performance and environmental outcomes.