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Teagasc, Grange is preparing to welcome the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, William and Catherine today (Wednesday). The British royals will be met and welcomed by the Minister for Agriculture, Michael Creed and Liam Herlihy, chair of Teagasc.
William and Catherine will then be introduced to Teagasc director, professor Gerry Boyle, Cllr Wayne Harding and Jackie Maguire of Meath county council. Members of the Teagasc authority will also be present.
The couple will meet three cows each with twin calves that are part of the Derrypatrick demonstration suckler herd. Beef researchers at Grange, Paul Crosson and Edward O Riordan will show them how Irish cattle farms ensure beef is produced in an environmentally sustainable way and talk about the technologies that have been developed and adopted to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the herd.
Biodiversity
As a part of the visit, Catherine Keena, Teagasc's countryside management specialist will speak about the initiatives on the farm and on other farms around the country, to promote biodiversity and develop hedgerows so they are fit for both ‘birds and bees’.
The royals will then meet Teagasc advisors Eilish Burke and William Byrne who will introduce them to farmers, Ronan Hughes, Justin Walsh, Teleri Thomas, David Hannon, and Donal Keane. The farmers will speak about what they are doing to farm with nature on their own holdings. They will share their stories on using the best animal genetics, grass-based production systems, the focus on reseeding and good paddock systems and in the case of Donal Keane how he is an organic demonstration farmer.
Principal of the Kiltale national school, Dunsany, Co Meath, Eileen O’Reilly and 10 sixth class students will also meet the royal couple. The pupils have completed projects on farm to fork, food production and sustainability.
Before departing, the royal couple will be presented with a gift by Liam Herlihy.
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