Kilkenny growers scoop Tirlán Grain Award!

Kilkenny growers Timothy and Edward Phelan from Grove, Dunbell, Maddockstown have won the Green Feed Wheat award at the Tirlán Quality Grain Awards 2024 ceremony that took place last Wednesday, February 12, at The Guinness Storehouse, Dublin. 

The Phelan family operates a combined tillage and dairy farm just outside Kilkenny city and grow a diverse range of crops, including oilseed rape, wheat, barley, and oats using the rotations to maximise both yields and grass weed control.

The majority of crops on the farm are established using a min-till system, with good levels of farmyard manure and slurry incorporated before sowing of the crops. Attention to detail is a priority for the Phelans in successfully growing quality grains.

The winning crop of green wheat averaged a specific weight of 78.9 kph at a moisture of 17.7% across almost 500 tonnes with a grain protein content of 10.5%. The Phelans’ Tirlán agronomist is Joe Delaney.

Meanwhile, champion growers Art and Ann Murphy won the coveted Grain Grower of the Year title at the Tirlán Quality Grain Award for 2024 and have been singled out for their exceptional attention to detail in producing top quality grains on the family farm.

The Murphys, from Killabeg, Ferns, Enniscorthy in Wexford, also won the individual award for Winter (Cassia) Feed Barley for harvest 2024. The Murphy family was among 14 top grain growers commended at the highly competitive Tirlán Quality Grain Awards for 2024 ceremony that took place on Wednesday, 12th February, at The Guinness Storehouse.

John Murphy, Tirlán Chairperson, said Tirlán remains Ireland’s largest buyer and user of native Irish grains and has paid a top price at harvest for the last five years. “There has been a significant increase in the quantity of barley going to the brewing and distilling industry from harvest 2024. It is wonderful to get the opportunity to celebrate and recognise the ‘cream of the crop’ among our dedicated and passionate growers here at the Guinness Storehouse.

Innovation in the Marketplace

“Innovation in the marketplace is key at Tirlán and we’re seeing significant growth opportunities for our oat-based drinks in Asia and the US in particular. Our functional oat flours are also gaining more traction in new markets. It is this commitment to investing in facilities and innovation that allows Tirlán to grow its premium grains portfolio to target new markets and deliver premium grains opportunities for our growers.”

Tirlán’s Oat-Standing™ portfolio has expanded with specialty oat ingredients used in beverages, chocolate, ice cream and so much more. The oats portfolio and plant-based offerings are sought after in the marketplace, offering strong traceability from Irish farms, and clean label benefits that resonate with health-conscious consumers.

Focus on premium grains

For Harvest 2024, Tirlán continued to deliver record pricing, with €210/t for green feed barley and €220/t for green feed wheat. In line with Tirlán’s investment in innovation and high-spec facilities, its focus on premium grains continues to deliver for members.

Ailish Byrne, Chief Agribusiness Officer at Tirlán, said:  “It is wonderful to see the commitment of our growers to excellence and delivering high quality grains for the marketplace. The growers recognised here today are reflective of hundreds of Tirlán growers continuously striving to nurture their lands to deliver the best crops for consumers to enjoy.

“In 2024, Tirlán paid growers almost €3 million in additional bonuses, specifically for premium grains, including gluten-free oats, premium barley and malting barley. 2024 also saw the positive announcement by the Tirlán joint venture Malting Company of Ireland (MCI), which is planning to invest in its Cork facility in the coming months to support the long-term growth in Irish distilleries and breweries amid a global resurgence in demand for premium whiskey brands. It is expected the planned expansion and upgrade in facilities will enable MCI to increase output of malt by around a third.

“This investment, coupled with continuous innovation at Tirlán, presents our growers with further premium crop payment opportunities into the future in line with our aims to maximise returns to our farm families.”

Award-winner

Art Murphy, Tirlán Grain Grower of the Year, said: “We're delighted to win the overall prize this year. One of the crops we grow is our award-winning cassia winter barley and it is fantastic to see our barley being used in iconic drinks that are enjoyed all over the world.

“We've been farming for generations on our family farm in Wexford and suppliers of grain to Tirlán for decades. We place strong emphasis on nurturing our crops, soil health and pay close attention to plant nutrition to maximise the crop's potential.

“2024 was an extremely challenging spring for us and we only had an eight-day window in which to sow 900 acres. It was a challenge, but we got it done. We couldn’t have done it without the wonderful support of our agronomist Fintan Treacy and Philip Deacon who works with us.”