TRACTORS at the ready – the 2015 Grass Prix is just around the corner.
Farmers across Britain and Ireland are gearing up for one of the biggest competitions in the farming calendar – as they battle it out to produce the best silage.
Yara, a sustainable agriculture company, has drawn up a list of 15 teams who will be getting their tractors and silage cutters in top shape for the competition.
Each farmer will produce the silage on his or her farm and the most valuable silage wins.
The silage will be assessed under its "metabolised energy yield, the fresh weight yield and dry matter yield".
Now in its second year, the Grass Prix will see nine Irish farmers hoping to emulate the success of Scotland’s Willie Watson, who walked away as the Grass Prix Champion 2014.
Willie Corrie from Newtownards, Co. Down, was Ireland’s highest placed contender last year, coming in fourth place.
As peak grass season rolls around, these shortlisted farmers will be working hard to make sure their meadows are in perfect condition for that all important cut.
While nothing is certain with British and Irish weather, all going well the first cuts will be in by July and the results are expected by the end of the summer.
The full list of competitors...
Elgan Evans – Dairy farmer from Llanrwst, North Wales
Jan Coward - Beef farmer Sherborne, Dorset
Joe Spicer – Dairy farmer from Sturminster Newton, Dorset
Robert Tilly – Dairy farmer from Penzance, Cornwall
Tom and Simon Browne – Dairy farmers from County Cork, Republic of Ireland
James Coombes – Dairy farm manager at Duchy College, Cornwall
Drew Wilson - Beef farmer from Forfar, Angus, Scotland
Willie Watson – Dairy farmer from Ayrshire, south west Scotland
Iain Green – Beef farmer from Fochabers,north east Scotland
David and Ian Murphy - Dairy farmers from County Armagh, Northern Ireland
Tom Rawson – Dairy farmer from Dewsbury, West Yorkshire
Alan Wallace – Dairy farmer from County Antrim, Northern Ireland
Eddie Jordan – Dairy farm manager with UCD County Kildare, Republic of Ireland
Danny and Patrick Cremin – Dairy farmers from County Limerick, Republic of Ireland
Robert Bryson - Dairy farmer from County Down, Northern Ireland
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