Niall Hurson

Niall Hurson, Suckler Farmer and Journalist, Monaghan

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.