Northern Irish Cavanagh Free Range Eggs wins top poultry farm award

Cavanagh Free Range Eggs has won Northern Ireland's most prestigious award for poultry farming. The farm based enterprise, located at Newtownbutler in county Fermanagh, was named Poultry Farmer of the Year in the annual Farming Awards organised by Farming Life newspaper supplement and sponsored by Danske Bank.

The awards recognise achievement in the Northern Ireland farming and food scene and are the most important held in the region.

The Best Artisan Producer in the awards was won by Ballinteer Quail Farm, a small business, based near Coleraine in county Derry, which specialises in quail meat, quail eggs, duck and seasonal game.

Cavanagh Free Range, one of Northern Ireland's most successful poultry farm enterprises, is owned by husband and wife team John and Eileen Hall. They have a flock of 60,000 birds are now supply eggs to major retailers such as Tesco and Asda as well as high-end hotels and restaurants.

The farm has also won a host of national awards, including UK Great Taste, Blas na hEireann and the Irish Quality Food and Drink Award. Most recently, Cavanagh Free Range Eggs won gold in the Chefs' Larder category in the Blas na hEirean, Irish National Food Awards, the second year in succession.

Commenting on winning the Farming Life award, Eileen Hall said: "This is marvellous recognition by the farming industry in Northern Ireland of our business. We are both delighted to have been recognised by our peers in an award which will be a further boost to our developing business."

The Poultry Farmer of the Year Award was sponsored by Moy Park, one of Europe's biggest chicken and turkey processors, and Northern Ireland's largest food business.

There were seven farming awards covering all the main sectors, dairy, beef, sheep, pigs, poultry, arable/horticulture and Wildlife Friendly Farmer. The awards also recognised the many commercial businesses involved in the farming sector. The awards were presented at a gala dinner.