Top cereal growers of 2019

Oats: Left to right, is Back row Joyce McConnell (UFU Ballyclare Group), Canice OâHara (Origin NI), David Matthews (UFU seeds and cereals chair), Mervyn Owens (Origin NI). Front row Kyle McCrea (2nd place), David Brown (UFU deputy president) and Paul Russell (1st place)

The event paid recognition to the first-class growers situated here in Northern Ireland.

Winners of the winter wheat, winter barley, spring barley and oats categories joined UFU deputy president, David Brown, the UFU seeds and cereals committee, and representatives from the competition sponsors BASF, Bayer CropScience, Clarendon Agri-care, Fane Valley, Origin NI and Syngenta, to celebrate the competition’s success.

“The UFU cereals competition is always a highlight in the annual agricultural calendar, giving us the perfect opportunity to recognise and celebrate the first-class growers we have right here in Northern Ireland,” said UFU president David Brown.

Winter wheat: Left to right, is Back row Lowry McCollum (2nd place), David Brown (UFU deputy president), Frank McGauran (Syngenta). Front row Hugh McCollum (2nd place), Simon Best (1st place) and Alan Wallace (3rd place)

He added that the UFU are very proud to host competitions such as this for its members and would like  to congratulate all the winners for their hard work and effort.

“We would also like to thank the competition sponsors BASF, Bayer CropScience, Clarendon Agri-care, Fane Valley, Origin NI and Syngenta who not only supports and promotes the UFU’s cereals competition, but also gives up their time to travel around the province to assist in judging the competition.

“The UFU would also like to acknowledge the dedication and hard work that the UFU seeds and cereals committee put into organising the competition, and also thank the UFU group managers for their continued support in encouraging Union members to participate in the competitions,” said Mr Brown.

The 2019 winners and runners-up in the UFU cereal competitions were:

Winter barley: Left to right, is Back row Adam Nears (Bayer CropScience), David Matthews (UFU seeds and cereals chair) Wendy Fearon (Clarendon Agri-Care), William Wilson (1st place), Allan Chambers (3rd place). Front row Bill Harpur (2nd place), David Wilson (1st place) and Neill Patterson (3rd place)

Spring barley

Sponsors- Fane Valley and Bayer CropScience

Winner- Hessin Brothers

2nd place- Leslie and Irene Dunn

Spring barley: Left to right, is Back row Leslie Dunn (2nd place), Adam Nears (Bayer CropScience), David Brown (UFU deputy president), Ray Morrison (Fane Valley), David Gault (3rd place). Front row Irene Dunn (2nd place) Wilbert Hessin (1st place) and Ian Gault (3rd place)

3rd place- David and Ian Gault

Winter barley

Sponsor - Clarendon Agri-care and Bayer CropScience

Winner- Raymond, David and William Wilson

2nd place- Bill Harpur

3rd place- Allan Chambers and Neill Patterson

Winter wheat

Sponsor- Syngenta

Winner- Simon Best

2nd place- Hugh and Lowry McCollum

3rd place- David and Alan Wallace

Oats

Sponsor- Origin NI and BASF

Winner- Mark and Paul Russell

Joint second place- Tim McClelland

Joint second place- Kyle McCrea