96% of Open Day visitors say farms have high animal welfare
Agri Aware’s recent Open Farm events have received an overwhelmingly positive response, with 84% of attendees reporting that they felt more informed about Irish food production after the experience.
Taking place over the weekend of June 14–15 in Co. Kildare and Co. Galway, more than 4,000 people attended the events hosted by the Doran Family dairy farm in Donadea and the Fahy Family beef farm in Ardrahan.
The immersive, family-friendly initiative offered visitors an opportunity to see Irish agriculture in action, gaining a 360° view of where their food comes from and how it is produced sustainably.
Feedback gathered from visitors highlighted the meaningful impact of the events. For many families, it was their first time visiting a working farm.
Among these, 96% strongly agreed that farmers place a high importance on animal welfare.
84% of attendees said they felt better informed about Irish food production. Nearly all visitors left the events with a more positive perception of Irish agriculture.
Throughout the weekend, visitors took part in a range of activities, including self-guided tours of the working farms, cookery demonstrations by chef Eoin Sheehan, live sheep shearing by Karol Devaney, and expert panel discussions exploring key topics in agriculture.
Attendees also enjoyed milking demonstrations, nutritional advice from the National Dairy Council (NDC) and milk samples from Tirlán and Aurivo across the two days.
Speaking about the results of the Open Farm survey, Agri Aware chairman, Shay Galvin said: “It’s heartening to see the connection being rebuilt between consumers and their food.
"The survey results confirm that people leave Open Farm with a better understanding of where their food comes from and a deep appreciation for the care farmers put into protecting the environment and ensuring animal welfare.
"Agri Aware would like to thank those who made Open Farm possible, our hosts the Doran and Fahy families and our sponsors, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the National Dairy Council, the Irish Farmers’ Association, Tirlán, Fresh Milk Producers' Group, Kildare Milk Producers' Group, ABP Food Group, and Teagasc."
Agri Aware, the independent farming and agri-food educational body, is a charitable trust whose mission is to improve the image and understanding of agriculture, farming, and the food industry among the public.
Agri Aware is tasked with conveying the importance of the agri-food industry among the public and bridge the gap between producer and consumer.
It delivers high-impact educational and public awareness initiatives and projects for students and the public through its school programmes and at events nationwide.
Agri Aware’s Open Farm is an event giving the public and their families the opportunity to visit an Irish farming enterprise.
It allows them the opportunity to explore the ‘farm to fork’ journey of local food, bridging the gap between ‘city and country’.
It is an opportunity to discover first-hand what it means to be a farmer and the day to day running of farm.
Agri Aware has said that many people, particularly those living in urban areas, often may not realise that farmers not only produce high quality food, but also play an important role in protecting the environment and ensuring that rural communities survive and thrive.
