Tirlán supplier Cheryl Poole among finalists for prestigious European Farming Innovation Award

A passionate dairy farmer from County Wexford, Cheryl Poole has been named one of five finalists for the 2025 COPA-COGECA Innovation Award for Women Farmers.

The prestigious award celebrates women driving sustainability, resilience, and innovation in European agriculture.

Cheryl, who farms together with her husband Alan and their three children Jacob, Isabelle and Danny, runs a biodiversity-focused dairy farm along the banks of the River Bann in Co Wexford.

 With a scientific background that includes a BSc from NUI Galway and a doctorate in Chemistry, Cheryl brings an evidence-based approach to farming.

Their 103-acre farm, in the family since the early 1700s, is home to 72 high-EBI cows with a strong emphasis on milk solids and herd health. Cheryl and Alan have been ambassadors for Tirlán’s River Slaney Project, a initiative focused on enhancing water quality, and were named Tirlán Sustainability Champions in 2025.

“I’m delighted to be nominated for the Copa-Cogeca Award. Our core ethos on our family farm is to protect, maintain and develop our biodiversity, and our rivers for this generation and the next. We were pleased to take part in the Tirlán Farming for Water: River Slaney Project to highlight best practices to enhance water quality on farms.

“We take a science-based approach, with a strong focus on biodiversity in our farming practices. We also firmly believe in educating the next generation, we have opened the Poole Bio School to offer a chance for schools and community groups to experience life and biodiversity on our farms ,” said Cheryl Poole.

This year’s award theme, “Women making waves in sustainable water systems”, highlights how women farmers are leading the transition toward more sustainable water use and management in agriculture.

Despite making up 42% of the agricultural workforce, women hold only 30% of managerial positions in the sector. This award aims to change that narrative by showcasing their leadership, creativity, and resilience in tackling challenges such as climate change, rising input costs, and geopolitical instability.

The five outstanding finalists from Ireland, Belgium, Hungary, Poland, and Italy include:

• Cheryl Poole – transformed their dairy farm and took part in water stewardship through the River Slaney Project, earning “Blue Dot” river status through constructed wetlands and community collaboration. You can read more about the Poole Bio School here: www.poolebioschool.ie
• Alessandra Pighin (Italy) – runs a tech-driven mixed farm that blends tradition with efficiency.
• Sarah Descamps (Belgium) – developed a closed-loop irrigation system storing 24 million litres of rainwater, integrating digital and solar innovations.
• Monika Zsuzsanna Horváth (Hungary) – repurposes farm byproducts into “Gidatitok” goat milk soaps, revitalising rural employment.
• Lidia Moron Morawska (Poland) – promotes biodiversity and pollinator health through organic beekeeping.

Their achievements underscore the need for EU policies that support women’s leadership in agriculture, including access to training, funding, and representation.

The winner and special mention award will be announced at a ceremony in Brussels later this year.

For more information about the award and finalists, visit https://womenfarmersaward.eu.