Two new CAFRE Beef Technology Demonstration Farms appointed

May 26, 2021

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

Two new Beef Technology Demonstration Farmers John McHenry from Stranocum, Co Antrim and Brian Cromie from Banbridge, Co Down have recently been appointed under the theme Grassland Management.

CAFRE Beef Technologist Noel Lavery and CAFRE advisers Rachel Megarrell and Adam Jones work closely with these new TDF Beef farmers, who will show the innovations on their farms using presentations and recently captured drone footage. .

 John McHenry, recently said “I am in a Business Development Group and I really enjoyed the visits that my group made to a number of TDF farms online over the past winter months. As a new Beef Grassland Management TDF farmer, I am currently getting ready to host groups of farmers with the first visits expected to occur in June.”

CAFRE has now appointed 31 TDFs and there are plans to appoint 2 Crop and 6 Environmental TDFs in the very near future. Details of all the TDFs and how to book a visit are available on the CAFRE website. At the moment CAFRE is taking group bookings only by emailing kt.admin@daera-ni.gov.uk.

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