A student from Co. Tipperary was presented with the ABP Sustainable Farming Practices Award at BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition  (BTYSTE) 2025.

Luke Blackwell, who is a student at CBS Thurles was announced as the overall winner for his innovative project, ‘A novel approach to regenerative agriculture through the use of Comfrey as a sustainable soil enhancer’.

Luke impressed judges with his innovative and forward-thinking project, which sought to provide a sustainable solution to pollution problems and over-reliance on artificial fertilisers.

The study compared Comfrey as a plant-based fertiliser against artificial fertilisers, focusing on its impact on soil health, crop yield, and environmental sustainability.

Trials demonstrated that Comfrey improves soil structure, enhances organic matter, and reduces nitrate runoff by 16.67%, lowering carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 10.6% compared to artificial fertilisers.

Luke found that combining Comfrey with slurry further enhanced its effectiveness, providing a practical and sustainable solution to regenerative farming challenges in Ireland.

For the eleventh consecutive year, ABP has sponsored a category at the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition.

Stephen Connolly, agriculture sustainability manager for ABP Ireland and Poland, congratulated Luke on his project, which he said "has deservedly been recognised with this year’s Sustainable Farming Practices Award".

"This award continues to highlight and celebrate the ingenuity of the next generation, who are committed to creating sustainable solutions to address the evolving challenges of modern agriculture," Connolly added.

At its demonstration farm in Carlow, ABP collaborates with Teagasc and the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) to support beef farmers in reducing emissions.

Trials have demonstrated significant potential to lower the carbon footprint of beef through measures like reducing the age of slaughter, improving genetics, and enhancing feed efficiency.

These results, tested across over 6,000 animals, are now being applied through farmer initiatives such as the ABP Advantage Programme.

The BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition is one of the largest and longest-running science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) events in the world with the 2025 exhibition being the 61st edition of the event.

ABP previously sponsored the Farm Safety Award, which year-on-year produced ground-breaking projects from students across the country.