ABP Food Group

We were delighted to host 28 school teams from across Northern Ireland to showcase their knowledge and passion for sustainable agriculture at our 2024 ABP Angus Youth Challenge Exhibition. From regenerative farming practices and environmental stewardships to the intersection of farming and politics, 91 enthusiastic Yr.11 students presented innovative ideas to a panel of judges, competing for a spot in the prestigious finalist programme. Finalist teams will each receive a mini herd of Angus calves to rear sustainably, under the mentorship of CAFRE experts. The programme delivered by ABP in partnership with Certified Irish Angus is inspiring our next generation of agricultural leaders. It offers successful teenagers hands-on experience, communication skills training, an international study tour, and a £1,000 cash prize for the top team. At the end of the year, finalists will sell their fully reared calves to ABP, keeping the proceeds as a reward for their hard work and dedication. Congratulations to all the semi-finalists and the Class of 2023 finalists on their achievements! 👏 Check out the video below 👇 'TeamABP #ABPAngusYouthChallenge #CSR #futureleaders

This week, our Polish team enjoyed participating in the World Meat Day Global Congress, organised by the Polish Meat Association. The congress was a significant gathering of farmers, industry leaders, and experts who came together to discuss the future of agriculture. The event concluded with an exciting development— signing a declaration to establish World Meat Day as a new annual celebration for our industry! Stephen Connolly, ABP Agri Sustainability Manager, contributed to a panel discussion on the Green Deal. He addressed potential policy measures that could aid family farms in becoming more economically and environmentally sustainable. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to our Poland General Manager, Wiesław Ilków, who was awarded an Order of Merit for his exceptional contributions to agriculture in Poland! #TeamABP #WorldMeatDay

Congratulations to two Year 12 students from Aughnacloy College, Co. Tyrone, who have won the 2024 ABP Angus Youth Challenge with their innovative project on sustainable farming, titled "Creating a Vibrant Farming Culture for Future Generations." From local farming families, Jack Steenson and Alexander Smith impressed judges with their creative focus on ensuring the long-term sustainability of agriculture in Northern Ireland. Dromore High School took the runner-up position with their project on promoting diversity in the beef supply chain. Whilst Sarah Gilchrist from St. Colmcille’s High School was recognised for her outstanding individual contribution.   The winning team received the ABP Angus Youth Challenge Cup and a £1,000 prize. Throughout the past year, finalists reared Angus beef cattle under a CAFRE - College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise mentor in accordance with DAERA’s beef carbon reduction programme. At the same time they worked on projects to improve sustainability in the beef supply chain. Jack and Alexander's project included a children’s storybook about sustainable farming, launched at the Armagh Show. Book sales and a ‘guess the weight of the heifer draw’ raised £1,600 for Air Ambulance NI. Their book was shared in 11 EU countries and beyond.   Congratulations to both Jack and Alexander 🙌   #ABPAngusYouth #PassingItOn #SustainableFarming

We are delighted that Martin McKendry, Acting Head of Farming at the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs will be our special guest for the ABP Angus Youth Northern Ireland Awards Ceremony & Exhibition this Friday at the Balmoral Eikon Exhibition Centre. Previously the Director of Discover CAFRE - College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise, Martin and his team have been key supporters of our ABP Angus Youth Challenge. We are also delighted to announce that Nuffield Scholar and farming commentator Claire Taylor will be our event MC. Claire, who hails from a beef farm in the southwest of Scotland, began her career at the BBC before leading political coverage at Scotland’s national farming paper. Martin will join Claire on stage for a quick-fire Q&A session, sharing insights from his career journey, discussing the future skills needed in the agrifood industry, and much more.   We wish the best of luck to our finalists from: ➡️ Dromore High ➡️ Aughnacloy College ➡️ St. Colmcille’s High School, Crossgar ➡️ The Royal School, Armagh Winners will be announced this Friday.   #ABPAngusYouth

This week, ABP proudly celebrated 70 years in business at Sial 2024, one of the world’s largest and most prestigious food innovation exhibitions. We were delighted to welcome Martin Heydon, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, to our stand, where we discussed the critical role of global markets in promoting sustainable Irish meat. Sial is a key event in the food industry, attracting over 7,500 exhibitors from 130 countries and nearly 285,000 visitors annually, including major food and drink buyers worldwide. The event provided a fantastic opportunity for us to showcase our award-winning beef and lamb products to a global audience while gaining insights into the latest trends shaping the international food scene. Running over five days, from Saturday to Wednesday, Sial 2024 offered a valuable platform for ABP to engage with existing customers and connect with new potential partners as we continue to lead in quality and innovation. #TeamABP #Sial2024 Pictured left to right: Frank Stephenson, CEO ABP Food Group, Martin Heydon Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, John Walsh, Commercial Director ABP Ireland & Poland, Jim O'Toole, CEO Bord Bia and Owen Feeney, Chargés d’Affaires, Embassy of Ireland to France.

Last week, our ABP PRISM team attended the Farmers Weekly Awards at the Grosvenor House in London. Congratulations to Dylan Jones for winning the prestigious title of Beef Farmer of the Year 2024! We are proud to sponsor the Beef Farmer of the Year award, highlighting our commitment to supporting excellence and sustainability in the beef farming industry. Amazing work, Dylan! #FarmersWeeklyAwards #TeamABP

Join us at SIAL Paris from October 19th to 23rd! Visit us in Hall 6, stand H210 to explore a selection of our premium productts, meet some of our team and celebrate ABP’s 70th anniversary in the industry. We look forward to seeing you there! #TeamABP #SIALParis

We are delighted to share that the Dairy Calf-to-Beef International Conference, held on October 16th and 17th in Wexford, was a resounding success! Organised by Teagasc with the support of the BSAS - British Society of Animal Science (BSAS) and ABP, this event brought together top scientists and industry experts from around the globe to explore the latest innovations in dairy-beef production.   Participants enjoyed a series of insightful presentations covering key topics such as the financial and environmental sustainability of dairy-beef systems, advancements in beef cattle genetics, and the nutrition and health of dairy-beef calves. A highlight of the conference was the field trip to the Teagasc dairy-beef research herd at Johnstown Castle and the ABP demonstration farm, which proudly celebrated its 10th anniversary this year.   The ABP demo farm, a collaboration with Teagasc and ICBF, has been pivotal in identifying optimal genetics for dairy herds and promoting sustainable farming practices.   This conference highlighted the critical role of collaboration and research in advancing sustainable beef production. It provided an excellent platform for delegates to network, share knowledge, and explore innovative strategies to enhance the viability of the dairy and beef sectors.   Thank you to everyone who participated and contributed to making this conference a success!   #TeamABP #ABPDemoFarm #SustainableBeefFarming

ABP is delighted to announce that it is partnering with Teagasc to deliver the Dairy Calf-to-Beef International Conference this month alongside the BSAS - British Society of Animal Science. The conference, which will be held in the Clayton Whites Hotel in Wexford on 16th and 17th October, will update delegates on innovations to promote sustainability and future viability of the dairy-beef sector. The conference will feature a visit to the ABP Demo Farm, as well as talks and panel discussions featuring some of the leading global experts on beef production from dairy herds. Find out more and sign up here 👉 Events - Dairy Calf-to-Beef International Conference - Teagasc | Agriculture and Food Development Authority   #TeamABP #Sustainability #BeefConference

Congratulations and well done to the 21 graduates from Cohort 3 of the ABP/Irish Management Institute (IMI) Leadership Development Programme who graduated last week. The year-long leadership programme helps executives across ABP to develop their leadership and strategic capabilities. It is a bespoke programme run in association with the IMI and is one of many exciting development programmes available to our colleagues across the group, including ABP Group, ABP Ireland & Poland , ABP UK, C&D Foods (ABP Group), and Olleco. #TeamABP #OurPeople #LeadershipDevelopment