Farm management software company, Herdwatch, which is based in Roscrea, Co. Tipperary, has announced plans to double its workforce over the next three years.

The company plans to create an additional 40 jobs during that period, with 20 of the new roles located at its Tipperary headquarters.  

Herdwatch, which was co-founded by FRS Network, a farmer-owned co-op, has said that it is fastest growing farm management software in Ireland and the UK, used on more than 15,000 farms.

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Leo Varadkar, said: “This is really great news. The company is a fantastic example of an Irish-owned and based company providing innovative solutions for the agriculture sector.

“Today’s announcement is a strong vote of confidence in the midwest region and further evidence of its attractiveness as a place to invest.”

The company is supported by Enterprise Ireland in its international expansion.

Enterprise Ireland CEO, Leo Clancy, said: “At Enterprise Ireland, we welcome today’s announcement in Tipperary by Herdwatch, highlighting the potential for innovative firms to succeed and grow in the midwest region.

The additional jobs will support the further expansion of Herdwatch as it seeks to reach new markets and also to broaden its current service.

This will include measures to help farmers meet the climate change challenge, beginning with the newly released farm mapping functionality.

As part of its research and development programme, the company has released what it calls 'Farm Maps by Herdwatch', a new tool in the existing Herdwatch app which allows farmers to map their farm for free, using satellite imagery.

Herdwatch has said that this tool is a "foundation stone" for more advanced upcoming developments in the environmental sector, including precision soil health in partnership with FRS (Farm Relief Services), fertiliser and carbon emissions, as well as carbon sequestration management.

The new jobs will be created in the commercial and technology sectors, from customer support and sales roles to product specialists and software engineers – all with remote working opportunities, according to the company.

Herdwatch has open vacancies for inside sales representatives, customer success representatives, product owners, software and cloud automation (DevOps) engineers.

Herdwatch CEO and co-founder, Fabien Peyaud, said: “This announcement is a signal of the ongoing success of Herdwatch.

"We are taking this step because we want Herdwatch to continue to expand – helping more farmers in Ireland and around the world but also offering even more benefits to our existing members," he added.