Sean's vacuum silage project wins TY Intro to Ag award

Virginia student chosen at Aviva Stadium fair

Virginia College student Sean Duffy has been named the national winner of the Intro to Ag Transition Year programme by Agri Aware and Laois and Offaly Education and Training Board (LOETB).

British farmer and TV personality, Kaleb Cooper, was one of the special guests at the Intro to Ag Fair at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin last week.

Sean Duffy’s project on vacuum silage making was one of 14 projects presented by six schools and was chosen as winner by judges who were impressed by the project’s innovation, the model developed to demonstrate the idea, and the strong delivery of the overall presentation.

The Intro to Ag Transition Year (TY) programme is designed to encourage students to take agricultural science as a subject for senior cycle, while also introducing them to Further Education and Training (FET) pathways, and career opportunities within the agri sector.

As part of his guest appearance, Kaleb sat down and spoke about his journey to date from becoming a farmer and contractor in the Cotswolds, to appearing on the hit Prime Video series ‘Clarkson’s Farm’ and to travelling to the other side of the world sharing his story from humble beginnings to worldwide fame which has helped to shine a light on the agricultural sector in the UK and further afield. Kaleb was joined by beef and tillage farmer and YouTube sensation Philip Stewart, otherwise known as ‘Farmer Phil’, while Katie Gleeson also known as ‘Katie in the Country’ chaired the insightful panel.

Agri Aware Chair Shay Galvin said: “The winning project showed significant thought and effort in addressing an issue that many farmers face. It clearly reflected the core aim of the Intro to Ag programme which is to encourage students to explore and develop an interest in agriculture.”

LOETB director Tony Dalton added: "The standard of projects presented on the day was exceptional, with some really innovative ideas in the room. What’s particularly encouraging is that a large proportion of participants came from non-farming backgrounds. The sector needs this level of innovation and diversity of people. The aim is for this programme to serve as a catalyst in increasing interest in agricultural science at senior cycle, and ultimately encourage progression into further and higher-level agricultural education programmes - helping to build a strong and sustainable pipeline of talent in agriculture.”