Tobermore welcomes the Minister of Agriculture to HQ as part of our efforts to help local farmers

Tobermore was proud to host Andrew Muir, Agriculture & Environment Minister, and the Centre for Competitiveness at HQ recently as news emerged that DAERA has awarded £4m to the Centre as part of the Sustainable Utilisation of Livestock Slurry (SULS) programme.  

Being part of the Mid-Ulster Carbon Co-operative has brought Tobermore into close collaboration with the Centre for Competitiveness, with the two groups working together to establish a full-scale anaerobic digestion plant to produce biomethane fuel.  

The need for Northern Ireland’s agriculture sector to reduce pollution from livestock slurry has been hastened by recent, well-publicised issues with the quality of water in Lough Neagh, issues that the NI Executive is currently seeking to address with the Lough Neagh Action Plan.  

David Henderson, Tobermore’s CEO, explained the significance of Minister Muir’s visit, highlighting the company’s role in tackling environmental challenges facing the agricultural sector.

“The Department of Agriculture recognises the pressures facing farmers and communities in Northern Ireland, particularly around pollution at Lough Neagh. Addressing these issues is challenging, but projects like our biomethane initiative can contribute to the solution. The Minister’s visit was an encouraging discussion on how this project supports both farmers and the environment.” 

Tobermore has a longstanding commitment to local farmers, reflected by our efforts to fill in our quarries once exhausted and return them to the local community for agricultural use. The company is delighted to see the incoming government support for the biomethane project as it will enable us to help farmers reach their sustainability goals, helping reduce carbon emissions in the process. 

Commenting on the ministerial visit at Tobermore, Dr. Paul Madden, Director at the Centre for Competitiveness, commented:

“We thank Minister Muir for engaging with the group in this innovative project, which has the potential to play an important role in reducing the overall nutrient loading and carbon footprint of the agricultural industry.” 

The Project Technical Lead, Dr. James Young, also from the Centre, added:

“This project will ensure the business resilience of farm enterprises with the ever growing need to become more sustainable.” 

Tobermore has ambitious carbon net zero goals and the company’s involvement in the Mid-Ulster Carbon Co-operative prompted a forward-thinking trial of the first biomethane fuelled forklift truck in the UK & Ireland, part of a wider strategy to eventually replace the business’ fleet of 60 diesel powered forklifts.  

The company’s commitment to sustainable manufacturing is a reflection of Tobermore’s family values of social responsibility to employees, charitable organisations, and the local community. From our own on-site wind turbine and over 4000 solar panels at HQ to quarry land restoration and rainwater harvesting, Tobermore manufactures with the natural environment in mind.  

Tobermore is delighted that our collaborative efforts with local businesses and the Centre for Competitiveness have received government recognition and DAERA’s commitment to funding will accelerate our efforts in assisting local farmers achieve their sustainability goals, as well as help the business in its pursuit of carbon net zero targets for a greener, more responsible future.