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Agriland

NDC to showcase ‘grass advantage' at Bord Bia Bloom

The National Dairy Council (NDC) is set to return to this year's Bord Bia Bloom, which takes place in Dublin's Phoenix Park over the June Bank Holiday weekend. The farmer-funded marketing agency will celebrate Irish dairy farming with a host of interactive events, educational talks, and dairy tastings over the five-day event. This is NDC's fourth time at Bord Bia Bloom, with the agency saying the event 'provides an excellent opportunity to promote sustainable dairy production and educate visitors on dairy nutrition'. Bloom This year, NDC will have two areas – the first being a large concept garden, 'The Grass Advantage' designed by Robert Moore. The garden highlights the beauty of Ireland's natural pasture, with its white clover grass mix forming a naturally enriching multi-species sward. At its centre, a five-metre-high milk churn sculpture symbolises the cultural heritage and global reputation of Irish dairy. The garden is inspired by the many initiatives farmers are undertaking to improve biodiversity through sustainable farm management. It is designed with a strong emphasis on sustainability and constructed with minimum impact on the environment. The planting is representative of Irish dairy pastures and all materials are recycled, and boundary fences and the sculpture are supported by environmentally sensitive, reusable ground screws. NDC In the second area, NDC will host a dedicated schools hub within the main concourse, promoting the Moo Crew Schools programme and dairy nutrition education. The area is designed to look like an actual classroom, with imagery and diagrams promoting 3-5 servings of dairy a day. Visitors to the NDC area will be able to taste premium Irish yogurt, cheese, and milk, while listening to talks on the future of food, bone health, and the benefits of dairy. Dee Laffan, editor of Scoop Food Magazine will be chatting to some of Ireland's best loved chefs. In addition, the All Ireland Jiving champions Niamh Doyle and Conor O'Donnell will take a spin in the NDC garden on Friday and Saturday afternoon. Some of Ireland's top athletes will also be present, including former Irish rugby international Fiona Coghlan, GAA player Vikki Wall, and rower Ross Corrigan to discuss the importance of good nutrition with Dr. Sharon Madigan from Sport Ireland. Farming Children across Ireland were invited to share their visions of the future of farming, and the winning children will be chatting about their dreams for the future at the NDC stand. NDC's farmer ambassadors will also be on hand to chat to the public about sustainable dairy production Some of Ireland's top agri influencers will discuss succession and the future generation of farmers. MEP Nina Carberry will also visit the NDC stand, while three women will share their experiences of marrying dairy farmers and life on the land. Bord Bia Bloom will run from Thursday, May 29 to Monday, June 2 on a 70ac site in Phoenix Park and is expected to attract over 100,000 visitors.