Technology Demonstration Farms – Now Up and Running

November 22, 2019

Technology Demonstration Farms (TDFs) provide a network of local farms which provide other farmers with the opportunity to see new technology and innovations which they could adopt on their own farms.

So far CAFRE has recruited four dairy farmers to demonstrate technologies within two themes. Feed efficiency technology can be seen on the farms of Stephen Gibson from Hillsborough and Aidan McManus from Derrylin. Mobility improvement technology can be seen on the farms of John Rafferty from Poyntzpass and Barry O’Loughlin from Swatragh. Details of the farms, and how to book a visit are available here. At the moment CAFRE is taking group bookings only by emailing kt.admin@daera-ni.gov.uk.

The first visits to these farms have already happened with excellent feedback and CAFRE is taking bookings for future visits. TDF farmer John Rafferty says “I have had 3 TDF visits to my farm to date and the feedback has been very positive indeed with excellent discussion having taken place.”

More information on TDFs and other CAFRE Schemes is available at ‘CAFRE –supporting your farm business’ events:

• Tuesday 26 November (2pm to 4pm and 7pm to 9pm) at Greenmount Campus, Antrim
• Thursday 28 November (7pm to 9pm) at Enniskillen Campus, Enniskillen
• Tuesday 3 December (7pm to 9pm)at Loughry Campus, Cookstown

CAFRE will be appointing Beef and Sheep TDFs in spring 2020 and applications will be invited from other agricultural sectors in due course. Further details will be on the CAFRE website Discover CAFRE Facebook page, Twitter and Instagram accounts.

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) and the European Union are funding the establishment of these network of Technology Demonstration Farms across Northern Ireland as part of the Rural Development Programme under the Innovation Technology Evaluation Demonstration (ITED) Scheme.

Pictured at the recent launch of Technology Demonstration Farms at Greenmount Campus from Left to Right: Alistair Boyle [ CAFRE], Richard Henning [ Lakeland Dairies], Mervyn Gordon [ UFU], Eric Long [ Deputy Director CAFRE], Neville Graham [Dalefarm], John Rafferty [ Technology Demonstration farmer] and Sophie Tyner [CAFRE].

Pictured at the recent launch of Technology Demonstration Farms at Greenmount Campus from Left to Right: Richard Henning [ Lakeland Dairies], Eric Long [ Deputy Director CAFRE], Neville Graham [Dalefarm], Sophie Tyner [ CAFRE], Alistair Boyle [ CAFRE] and John Rafferty [ Technology Demonstration farmer]

CAFRE Staff involved in supporting the delivery of the Technology Demonstration Farm [ TDF] scheme pictured at the recent launch of TDFs at Greenmount Campus from Left to Right: Don Morrow, Sophie Tyner, Kenneth Johnston and Alistair Boyle with John Rafferty [ Technology Demonstration farmer] and Martin McKendry [ CAFRE Director ]

John Rafferty, Mobility Improvement Technology Farmer, pictured hoof trimming on his home farm

John Rafferty, Mobility Improvement Technology Farmer, explaining how he foot baths cows to a group of visiting farmers