This weekend, thousands of families both inside and outside of farming, will descend on Tullamore for the annual FBD National Livestock Show and Tullamore Show.

The show is a relatively young one in showing terms, with a local committee reviving the event in the early 1990s and now it is one of the largest one-day shows of livestock in Europe.

For many, it’s the pinnacle of the summer show season with hundreds of finals due to take place on Sunday. Shows are an important part of encouraging the next generation of livestock farmers, and next Sunday will see thousands of young people involved in the show.

The show is also an important part of the communication process as to the positive messages that livestock farming brings to our rural economy.

The sustainability village at the show aims to demonstrate some of the positive changes that are taking place on Irish farms in terms of sustainability.

Last year’s sustainability competition winners will be there to explain what they are doing to meet climate change targets and increasing biodiversity on their farms.

The Irish Farmers Journal team will be there in our usual spot on the main roadway at the top of the cattle judging rings. Our live demos kick off at 10.30 am, so be sure to call in for a chat with the team.