Sustainable Farming Award for Prestons of Swainstown

Finding Common Ground Festival takes place at RDS

Arthur and Larissa Preston from Swainstown Farm in Kilmessan were among the winners at the ‘Finding Common Ground’ festival in the RDS, Dublin, taking home the Sustainable Farming Award.

The festival, an initiative of the RDS, took place over two days in Ballsbridge, exploring the benefits of natural resources and the circular economy with a view to increase awareness, education and identification of solutions. As part of the event, the RDS Sustainability Awards which celebrate the work of individuals, farm families and organisations who are enhancing the economic, environmental, and social development of Irish agriculture and rural communities, took place.

Swainstown Farm is a family-run farm with a rich history spanning over 12 generations and a focus on farming alongside nature to produce healthy, nutrient-dense food through sustainable practices and a focus on soil health. The farm produces chemical-free vegetables, flowers, 100 per cent grass-fed lamb and forest-raised pork. Swainstown Farm embodies a dedication to sustainable living, where tradition and innovation work together to create a thriving, healthy future.

The RDS Sustainable Farming Award celebrates the efforts made by an individual or farm family who are sustainable developing their on-farm activities through entrepreneurship, new product development, marketing, and improved efficiencies.

Making the presentations, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Noel Grealish, said: “These awards provide recognition to outstanding individuals, farm families and organisations who have excelled in enhancing the economic, environmental, and social development of Irish agriculture and their rural communities.”

“The awards commend farmers dedicated to sustainable breeding programmes and their commitment ensures that future generations of livestock are healthier, more productive, and increasingly carbon efficient. Congratulations to all category winners, as we celebrate and highlight the most productive and efficient farmers and livestock in the country.”

The RDS Finding Common Ground festival is a key initiative driven by the RDS’s enduring mission to inspire, enable and empower positive change in Irish society. Recognising the urgent need to address the intertwined challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss, the festival strategically leverages the RDS’s broad reach and meaningful connections across its key programme areas – arts, agriculture, enterprise, equestrianism, and science – to foster a vital cross-sectoral dialogue.

The festival is specifically designed to explore how Ireland can sustainably harness the benefits of its natural resources and the circular bioeconomy, with the overarching ambition of leaving the world in a better state than we found it.