Niall Hurson grew up on a small suckler farm in Smithborough, Co Monaghan, and spends most of his weekends there farming. Since graduating from UCD with a BAgrSc Animal Science in 2020, Niall has worked for leading media outlets, including the Irish Farmers Journal and RTÉ’s Ear to the Ground.
Niall is currently employed by the Irish Independent where he works as a Rural Affairs Journalist. His main areas of interest are climate action, farm incomes, and politics. Outside of work, one of Niall’s favourite pastimes is running.
Niall’s study topic is titled “Mapping the farming maestros: Who shapes agriculture’s narrative and how it varies across the globe.”
Niall will take a deep dive into who influences famers’ attitudes towards Government policies, with particular focus on measures aimed at climate change mitigation.
Similarly, Niall aims to establish how the farming community can positively influence the public’s attitude towards agricultural practices, presenting case studies where the sector has struggled to do so previously.
Niall has decided to undertake this research because he feels that how farmers, and the public at large, view agriculture’s imminent challenges, will influence the degree of our collective success in responding.

Who tells farming’s story best? Mapping the voices shaping the future of agriculture

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Unlocking Ireland’s Agri-food Edge Through Strategic Collaboration

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Michael Martin is from a beef and tillage farm in Rathnure, Co Wexford. Michael works on the family farm at home and lectures Agricultural Science in Kildalton College and Carlow Institute. As part of his Nuffield Scholarship, Michael will examine beef finishing systems and the effects of low protein in the diet of ruminants. Reducing the environmental impact of our beef systems, while simultaneously producing a sustainable profit for Irish farmers is something Michael is passionate about. Michael completed an undergraduate degree in Agricultural Science from SETU, he went on to study a masters in Ruminant Nutrition from Harper Adam’s University. Michael is invested in his local GAA club, he plays on the senior hurling team and is currently club secretary.

From Field to Fork: Ensuring the Sustainability and Competitiveness of Irish Beef in an Era of Globalisation

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John Keane is from Errill, in South County Laois is a full time dairy and beef farmer farming in partnership with his father. As part of his Nuffield Scholarship John will investigate routes to eradication of Bovine TB here in Ireland. John’s passion for the eradication of the disease comes from firsthand experience, along with seeing the impact the disease has on farmers and their families whilst being Macra na Feirme National President.

A graduate of University College Dublin with a BSc in Dairy Business in 2014, John travelled to New Zealand to work in agriculture and broaden his experiences. Since returning home to full time farming in 2016 John has been an active member of discussions groups, Macra na Feirme and his local GAA club.

Bovine TB in Ireland Pathways to Eradication

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Nick’s research will look at the application of automation, integrated systems and digitalisation to the sheep farming sector in furtherance of sustainability, profitability and social licence.

“Getting off blanket worming: An evaluation of current best practice and newer tools to reduce anthelmintic use and anthelmintic resistance on ruminant livestock farms”

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