As the summer draws to a close, the North West Derry group reflects on another successful day at the Limavady Show, where members enjoyed the opportunity to catch up with familiar faces and enjoy a cup of tea.

The day also provided an opportunity to welcome the newly elected Clement Lynch to his role as deputy president of the Ulster Farmers’ Union.

Clement has always been an active member of the group, holding numerous roles within the organisation. He has served as chair of the North West Derry group and the hill farming committee, and currently represents members on the FQAS Industry Board, the AgriSearch sheep committee, and the sheep Taskforce. It is great to see a local member taking on this leadership role, and we wish him every success in his new position.

Once again, our members showcased their expertise in the annual group cereal competition, which saw an impressive 27 fields judged across various categories. The results were as follows:

Winter Barley: 1st: Jonny Kelly; 2nd: James Wray; 3rd: Robert Lynn

Winter Wheat: 1st: Jim Fulton; 2nd (tie): Rob Gallagher, David and Ian Gault, and James and Tom McClelland

Spring Barley: 1st: James Wray; 2nd: David and Ian Gault; 3rd: Robert Henry

Oats: 1st: Andrew Blair; 2nd: James and Tom McClelland

Jim and Eugenia Fulton, group winner winter wheat

A special congratulations to Jim Fulton for securing 3rd place at Northern Ireland level in the winter wheat category. This is the second year in a row that he has placed at national level, a fantastic achievement and a testament to his dedication and skill.

We will officially launch our group programme with our first meeting, which will take place on Thursday, 8 October. The event will include a drone demonstration and a discussion on crop nutrition. We are delighted to welcome the following guest speakers: Andrew Clarkin, Agri Drone NI; Andrew Morrison, Business Manager, Yara UK

The meeting will be hosted by Andrew Blair at 40 Burnally Road, Limavady, BT49 9DP, starting at 12 noon. Lunch will be provided, and we look forward to seeing you there.