26 January 2023 - Flipbook - Page 42
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RURALYOUTH
FARMWEEK
MAY 31 2018
Using
local
farm
products
Change
to create innovative dishes
Youths For
with YFCU
president
James
Speers
L
AST week was a little
quieter for the YFCU after
a few busy weeks taken up
by Balmoral Show, which
was a great success.
On Tuesday night we had
our first Agriculture & Rural
Affairs meeting which was held
in CAFRE Greenmount. This
was chaired by James Purcell.
There’s a lot of new faces on
the A&R committee and a lot
of thought was put into where
the A&R committee will place
its focus this year. Plans are
already underway for a number
of exciting events in the coming
year.
On Thursday I attended a
Lantra training course as a
YFCU member. This was a very
informative course and it was
great to meet others who were
also undertaking the instructor
training course.
At present YFCU delivers a
number of Lantra accredited
training courses which members
can benefit from and I look
forward to rolling out a number
of courses in the coming year.
The fact that these courses
are accredited means that
our members are gaining
formal recognition of their
participation and successful
completion of courses.
It’s very rewarding and I would
definitely positively encourage
members to get involved
and take up the training
opportunities available to them
through YFCU.
This weekend will see the
commencement of the local
agricultural shows with
Ballmoney Show and Lurgan
Show set to take place. I will be
out and about at these shows
and I look forward to meeting
with YFCU members and
industry representatives.
U
NDERSTANDING the supply chain is
fundamental to agricultural production
and innovation.
Second year students on the BSc (Hons)
Degree in Agricultural Technology,
delivered in partnership between Queen’s
University Belfast and CAFRE, participated in
an innovative supply chain programme with
beef and lamb processor Linden Foods and food
retailer Marks & Spencer (M&S).
As part of this programme the students visited
both Linden Foods in Dungannon and the Food
Hall of the Marks & Spencer store in Sprucefield
to explore the diverse and exciting range of
food products available in the 21st century food
marketplace.
Following these visits the students, in teams,
were challenged to develop a supply chain for a
new cutting edge food product designed to end
up in the shopping basket of an M&S customer.
After the teams went through the demanding
product and packaging design processes and
teased out supply chain logistics, they then had
to prepare and pitch their product to a judging
panel comprising staff from Marks and Spencer,
Linden Foods, and CAFRE.
The judging panel had its work cut out assessing
teams with products ranging from local luxury
ice-cream to no-pasta lasagne and billy goat
burgers.
After tasting the products, examining the
packaging, listening to the pitches and questioning teams on both feasibility and profitability, the
panel made its decision.
The winning team comprised of Stephen
McConnell (Larne), Kerry Little (Tandragee),
Melanie McAuley (Ballyclare) and Cormac Mallon
(Dungannon) and the product was beef olives
WINNING TEAM: Marks & Spencer and Linden Foods staff with members of the winning team, from
left, Keith Williamson (Linden Foods), Stephen McConnell (Larne), Kerry Little (Tandragee), Melanie
McAuley (Ballyclare), Cormac Mallon (Dungannon) and Conor McLoughlin (M&S Sprucefield).
created using local silverside and a delicious
stuffing to provide a generous and tasty value-formoney meal.
The Supply Chain programme is sponsored by
Linden Foods and Marks & Spencer as part of its
Farming for the Future education programme.
SECOND: The runner up team of James Toner (Collone, County Armagh),
Hannah Vance (Kesh County Fermanagh) and Anna Millar (Lisburn,
County Antrim). Absent from the photograph is Matthew Murnion
(Hilltown, County Down).
Newtownards
YFC steals the
show at Drama
Festival
Huge congratulations to the cast from
Newtownards Young Farmers’ Club
who stole the show at the recent
One Act Drama Festival competition.
Not only did they come first over all
in Northern Ireland following their
outstanding performance, senior
member Andrew Patton won best
upcoming actor and club leader Joy
Dalzell won best upcoming actress.
It doesn’t stop there – Karen Patton
and Lynda Girvin scooped up the best
producers award. Safe to say it was a
very successful night for the club.
The winning team was rewarded with a visit to
M&S London headquarters where the students
will meet a range of M&S staff involved in food
purchasing and new product development. The
top three student teams also received awards at
Balmoral Show.
THIRD: Marks & Spencer and Linden Foods staff with members of the
third placed team. From left, Keith Williamson (Linden Foods), Jack Wilson
(Fivemiletown, County Tyrone, Aaron Weir (Lack), Joanne Woods (Lack), Blazka
Subic (Slovenian exchange student) and Conor McLoughlin (M&S Sprucefield).
Coleraine YFC
charity quiz
COLERAINE Young Farmers are
holding a charity table quiz in aid
of Air Ambulance NI, a charity
which the Young Farmers’ Clubs
of Ulster is supporting this year
and one which means a lot to the
agricultural community.
The quiz takes place on Friday,
June 8, at 7.30pm at the Clyde
Tavern, Coleraine. Entry is £5 per
person with a maximum of five
people per team.
Summer barbecue
at Lylehill YFC
LYLEHILL Young Farmers’ Club is
hosting a barbecue on Saturday,
June 2, at 9pm in Shanes Castle.
