Author: National Ploughing Association

Innovation Arena Awards open for applications

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Total prize fund to the value of over €80,000

Embargo, Friday 6 April 2018

Enterprise Ireland’s Innovation ArenaAwards at the National Ploughing Championships, in conjunction with the Irish Farmers Journal, are now open for applications from Irish companies within the agri sector. The awards will take place within the popular Innovation Arena at the heart of the National Ploughing Championships in Screggan, Tullamore, Co. Offaly, 18-21 September 2018.

The Innovation Arena is a unique platform from which Irish companies can showcase pioneering developments in the agri sector and related subsectors such as agri-tech and agri-engineering. This year’s arena will also feature a conference venue where companies can launch new productsand present to international buyers – over 100 buyers from all over the globeattended last year.

Judging for the awards will take place at the arena throughout the three-day event in categories including ‘Agri Engineering’ and ‘Agricultural Technology’. The overall start-up winner will be eligible to win up to €15,000  prize package.

In addition to propelling Irish innovations to a world stage, this year’s Arena will feature seminars on key issues affecting the sector including Brexit and Global Marketsand facilitate crucialnetworking opportunities for attending companies. Last year’s competition attracted 200 entries ;  69 were shortlisted as finalist exhibitorsat the Innovation Arena.

Julie Sinnamon, CEO Enterprise Ireland said: “The Irish agri sector is a rapidly increasing contributor to the economy and the companies who display their innovations each year at the Innovation Arena are a stellar example of the innovative and revolutionary development taking place in this country. Enterprise Ireland is committed to supporting companies with global ambition who have innovation at the core of their business, and for this reason, the Innovation Arena at the National Ploughing Championships, where the top innovations are showcased for international buyers, is a key event for us. I am also delighted to say that the ‘Innovation Boot Camp’ will once again take place on August 15. This Boot Camp will deliver advice, mentoring, and support for innovators in the agri sector.”

Eoin Lowry, Deputy Editor, Irish Farmers Journal said:“Ireland has a prominent agricultural industry and The Farmers Journal’s involvement with the Innovation Arena is reflective of our position as a driver of innovation within this space. Globally, Ireland has a reputation as an industrial leader and the Innovation Arena highlights the change and development occurring within the sector. The Farmers Journal is delighted to once again partner with Enterprise Ireland and the National Ploughing Championships to promote and support the companies at the forefront of sector.”

Anna May McHugh, Managing Director of the National Ploughing Championships said:“The National Ploughing Championships has been a focal point of innovation since its establishment. Agriculture is deeply rooted in Irish culture and is a significant factor in rural Ireland’s economic growth. We are again delighted to team up with Enterprise Ireland and the Farmers Journal to facilitate the Innovation Arena for 2018. I look forward to seeing the leaders in agri-innovation as they leverage the Arena to showcase all we have to have offer in terms Irish manufacturing and products.”

The 2018 NPA Innovation Arena prize fund equates to over €80,000 in supports.  The overall award winner will receive a top prize worth €15,000 from Enterprise Ireland and The Irish Farmers Journal which includes advertising and PR support, mentoring and a cash prize of €5,000. All finalists will receive an advertising voucher to promote their innovation through the Irish Farmers Journal and a subsidised stand in the Innovation Arena for 2018.The final participants for the 2018 Innovation Arena will be selected on July 23.          

To enter this year’s Innovation Arena Awards please visit: www.innovationarena.ie

All Roads Lead to NPC ’18!

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Top Oil, the official fuel sponsor of this year’s National Ploughing Championships have joined forces again with the NPA, following several successful years, to brand more than one hundred road-sign billboards nationwide reminding the country that “the Ploughing” in Screggan, Tullamore, Co Offaly from September 18th to 20th is fast approaching.

At the Top Oil/Ploughing launch NPA Managing Director Anna May McHugh spoke of how she looked forward to working with Top Oil in the run up to and during this year’s Championships and said “I am delighted that Top Oil and this year’s National Ploughing Championships will continue with this winning partnership.

As the main fuel sponsors, Top Oil have a great appreciation of the importance of the National Ploughing Championships with a visitor attendance of 291,500. They will supply all the event fuel requirements for the 3 days including fuelling all the generators for powering the site, the lighting towers that extend out to a radius of over 30 km from the main site, all the event machinery, upwards of 350 competitors tractors and that’s without even touching on the 1,700 exhibitor requirements.”

Andrew Meagher, Head of Sales, Direct & Reseller at Top Oil expressed how much Top Oil was looking forward to this year’s Championships “We are proud to be providing quality fuels and excellent customer service to local businesses and farming communities across Ireland for many years and are delighted to be supporting this prestigious event for our fifth consecutive year.
There is always great excitement throughout our nationwide network of Top Oil depots and retail sites about the ploughing and this year is no different.

We are really looking forward to working closely with The National Ploughing Association again this year. Our two organisations have our roots in local rural communities and we very much look forward to supporting the NPA to showcase and celebrate the very best of rural Ireland.

We welcomed many customers, new and old, to our stand at the Ploughing last year and we are very much looking forward to this year’s event at Screggan from 18th to 20th September.”

Showcasing the Best of Irish Food, Farming and Culture, follow the excitement of the build up to #Ploughing18 on www.facebook.com/nationalploughingchampionships or www.twitter.com/@NPAIE. For further information on all things ‘Ploughing’ related – please contact info@npa.ie/ 059 8625125.

The search is on for Ireland’s best Junior Baker!

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Winning Lemon Drizzle Cake to be stocked in Aldi stores nationwide

Aldi will once again this year sponsor The National Junior Baking Competition, in association with Foróige, Ireland’s leading youth organization and the National Ploughing Association. The finals will take place in the Aldi Marquee at the National Ploughing Championships in September.

The theme of the National Junior Baking Competition this year is ‘’Lemon Drizzle Cake’ and the judges are anticipating some delicious cakes from the wealth of talented young bakers around the country. Jessica Doherty (13) from Melvin Foróige Club, Co. Leitrim emerged as the winner last year, and her Lemon Drizzle Cake has been flying off the shelves in all 130 Aldi stores nationwide since Christmas!

NPA Managing Director Anna May McHugh said, “The popularity and success of the National Junior Baking competition at Ploughing is growing each year, and we’re delighted to once again have Aldi and Foróige working on this. It is wonderful to see the younger generation taking part and seeing this alive and well at Ploughing is always a thrill for us. The total attendance figures for the 2017 National Championships came to a record breaking 291,500 and this year’s event looks set to be bigger and better than ever.”

“I couldn’t believe it when I won at the Ploughing last year,” said Jessica. “I was up against some other really great bakers on the day. The support from my friends and my family since then has been amazing, and it is so exciting seeing ‘Jessica’s Lemon Drizzle Cake’ on the shelf in Aldi every time I go into the store. I’d like to wish the very best of luck to everyone entering this year!”

The winner of the National Junior Baking Competition will win a €1,000 bursary to help them on their baking journey, as well as a trip for their local Foróige group to Delphi Adventure Centre in Co. Mayo. In addition to this, and for the third year as part of the National Junior Baking Competition, Aldi will be stocking the winning lemon drizzle cake – a huge achievement for any budding young baker!

Finbar McCarthy, Group Buying Director at Aldi Ireland said, “At Aldi, we are a proud supporter of Irish suppliers, so we are delighted to sponsor The National Junior Baking Competition for the fourth year in a row. We are encouraging all junior-baking enthusiasts, whether novice or expert home bakers, to whip out the mixing bowl and perfect their baking skills. The creations that came from the young people last year were excellent, and we expect this year’s entrants to be even more creative.”

The qualifiers of The National Junior Baking Competition are currently being held nationally through youth organisationForóige, in their 810 clubs and projects nationwide, with the regional finals taking place in late July. The National Semi Finals and Final will be held from 18th – 20th September at the Aldi Marquee during the 2018 National Ploughing Championships in Screggan, Tullamore, Co. Offaly.

The National Brown Bread Baking Competition 2018 is open for entries

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€10,000 prize on offer as 2018 National Brown Bread Baking Competition Launches

The National Brown Bread Baking Competition 2018 is open for entries

New for 2018 –  Aldi is encouraging non ICA members to enter through regional Aldi heats

Aldi will once again this year sponsor The National Brown Bread Baking Competition, in association with the National Ploughing Association (NPA) and the Irish Countrywomen’s Association (ICA). Relaunched four years ago by the NPA, the event has proven to be a huge success, with entries from each one of the 26 counties. TV presenter Síle Seoige and TV3 Chef Shane Smith were joined by NPA MD Anna May Mc Hugh, ICA President Marie O’Toole and reigning champion Mary Conway to announce details of this year’s competition.

NPA Managing Director Anna May McHugh said “We are delighted to be renewing our partnership with Aldi and the ICA given the popularity and success of the National Brown Bread Baking competition at Ploughing.  There has always been a long and great tradition of baking in Ireland and it is wonderful to see this alive and well at Ploughing.  The total attendance figures for the 2017 National Championships  came to a record breaking 291,500 and this year’s event looks set to be bigger and better than ever.”

Last year, Mary Conway’s bread rose to the challenge and the Sligo native emerged victorious. Speaking recently, Mary commented on her win, “I was thrilled to have won last year, I was up against some of the best. The competition was great fun and I met some wonderful people along the way. It is so exciting for me seeing my bread, ‘Mary’s Soda Bread’ on the shelves of Aldi stores nationwide. The very best of luck to everyone taking part this year.”

 

The National Brown Bread Baking competition is open to both members and non-members of the ICA, and baking enthusiasts have the opportunity to earn some serious ‘dough’, with a share of the profits from the sale of their winning loaf once it goes on sale in Aldi*. Second place will receive €1,000, €500 for third, €300 for fourth and the other semi-finalists will all get €200 each**.

A new addition to the competition for 2018:

This year, entering the competition will be easier than ever, and Aldi is encouraging any bakers over the age of 18 to take part to be in with a chance of seeing their bread on shelves nationwide. Keen bakers that can’t make it to any of the ICA heats will be able to bring their freshly baked bread to 3 Aldi locations nationwide for tasting by the panel of independent judges.

Keen bakers can now enter the Aldi heats by dropping their bread off at the following locations on the following dates:

  • Aldi Ireland Head Office, Newbridge Road, Naas, Co. Kildare on the (22 May 2018)
  • Aldi Regional Office, Limerick Road, Mitchelstown, Co. Cork on the (22 May 2018)
  • Aldi’s store in Oranmore, Co. Galway on the (29th May 2018)

People that are interested in entering through the above Aldi venues are asked to email brownbread@aldi.ie to register.

 

Group Buying Director, Finbar McCarthy said, “At Aldi, we are a proud supporter of Irish suppliers so we are delighted to sponsor The National Brown Bread Baking Competition again, celebrating something as quintessentially Irish as brown bread. ‘Marys Soda Bread’ has proven a hit with our customers, and we hope the winner this year will achieve the same success with their brown bread. This year, we are making it easier than ever for people to enter with our regional drop off points, and so we hope to see keen bakers getting involved. At Aldi, we sell a range of great value baking essentials in our 130 stores nationwide so consumers can stock their pantries and make home baked goods all year round.”

ICA members can participate in the competition through local guilds, with heats taking place nationwide and regional finals taking place at An Grianán, ICA Adult Education Centre on July 31st. The three finalists selected from the Aldi bread drops, along with the five finalists selected through the ICA will compete at the National Finals. The National Semi Finals and Final will be held from 18th – 20th September at the Aldi Marquee during the 2018 National Ploughing Championships in Screggan, Tullamore, Co. Offaly.

Speaking at the launch, Marie O’Toole, President of the ICA said, “Our members are once again delighted to be taking part in the National Brown Bread Baking Competition to find the best Brown Bread baker in Ireland.  There has been huge interest and the winner will be generously rewarded.”

If you think you have the recipe for success, log onto www.aldi.ie/brown-bread-competition or www.ica.ie for information on how to enter and further details about the county finals.

* The winner’s brown bread will also be stocked in all Aldi Stores in Ireland for a minimum of six months and they will receive a share of the profits, guaranteed to be at least €10,000.

**All winners (with the exception of first place) will receive their prizes in Aldi Vouchers.