McIlroy’s Chickens in Coleraine, Co Derry produces 600,000 broilers annually for Moy Park and Marks & Spencer. It was also the first poultry farm in Northern Ireland to become completely carbon neutral, so we spoke to Graham McIlroy to find out more.
In the short space of seven years, Graham McIlroy has opened up three poultry houses – all of which are carbon neutral – at his family’s farm in Coleraine in order to keep up with the huge demand from his clientele.
The decision to switch from a farm that was primarily beef and sheep to concentrate on the poultry industry was made when the now 27-year-old Graham entered into the family business.
Prior to that he had never stood in a stood in a chicken shed before but by 2009 his new poultry house had taken in its first crop of bird and the rest, as they day, is history.
“We’re based here in Coleraine and we’d be established seven years in total,” explained Graham.
“Most of the farm is chickens and we’d also keep broilers up in the main yard. We’ve only a few cattle here.
“We’ve three poultry houses which are all carbon neutral and the first one would have been built in 2009.”
Having a carbon neutral poultry house was always a primary goal of Graham’s once he decided to go down this current route and he had since multiplied the count by three.
Now Graham is proud to say that McIlroy’s Chickens is the first completely carbon neutral poultry farm in Northern Ireland.
A Coleraine native, Graham’s background had always been in farming, according to the man himself, although chickens wouldn’t have been part of the day-to-day work for the family until he brought his own incentive into the business after finishing college.
Since that time, things have been moving fast for Graham – and it certainly shows once you crunch the numbers. Producing 600,000 broilers annually for your clients is no easy feat and it goes a long way towards explaining why three state-of-the-art chicken houses have been erected in the space of four years.
“I grew up on a farm and would have working on it from a young enough age,” he stated.
“I’ve a National Diploma in Agriculture and had done work with a dairy farmer. After a while working with him someone asked me did I ever look into working with chickens and I suppose that’s where it would’ve started for me.
“I started working in my first poultry house in 2009 and my second then in 2012. The third was opened then in 2013, so it has been going well here for us.
“Chickens are going alright at the minute, so it has been going well and we’re looking forward to 2016 now.”
2015 was another progressive year for McIlroy’s Chickens, to say the least, and June 13th and 14th saw it host an Open Weekend at the farm, which is addressed at 65 Moneybrannon Road, Aghadowey, Coleraine, Co Derry, BT51 3SJ.
Activities for the weekend included tours of their chicken houses, where you could see how their chickens live from the viewing gallery. They also had some tasty food to sample from Moy Park and you were able to learn all about the farm to fork story behind their produce.
The McIlroy farm was one of 20 in Northern Ireland to open up its gates to the general public and schools for Open Farm Day, which took place throughout the six counties.
“I took great joy in the opportunity to share and teach people about what I do here on my farm with the chickens and the renewable energy,” Graham stated to media on the event.
“I am continually researching ways to become more sustainable through my business, as this not only increases margins, but more importantly leaves a better world for future generations. I believe that sustainability is key to success in farming and the future of farming.”
It’s that kind of innovation which has seen Graham become a multiple award winner since starting up McIlroy’s Chickens.
Graham picked up the prestigious award for ‘Young Farmer of the Year’ at the 2013 Farm Business ‘Food and Farming Industry’ awards.
The awards, which were held in the House of Commons in London that December, were a celebration of the best of the UK food and farming industry.
Commenting on the calibre of Graham’s submission the judging panel said:
“What a highly innovative young farmer Graham is – he knocked our socks off!
“By embracing environmental improvements to the benefit of the business at every stage and using both solar and biomass generated energy, it would be hard to think of a more worthy winner than Graham. His farm is superbly run, with very well laid plans to expand his impressive poultry business in the future.”
Graham also scooped the Marks & Spencer ‘Farming for the Future’ Award in May of the same year for the commitment to renewable energy and long-term sustainability on his farm as demonstrated by providing his animals with the best possible living conditions, reducing the farm’s carbon footprint and a commitment to good farming practices.
On the night, Graham stated: “It is a privilege to receive this award recognising the vision we have to become more environmentally friendly and in doing so, help to make a better world for future generations.”
While the awards were a plenty in 2013, Graham recognises the following year as being his best when it comes to gong honours.
“I was one the finalists in the Sustainable Farm of the Year awards but 2014 would have been our best year awards-wise,” he said.
“I won Progressive Farmer of the Year in 2014 and was also up for the Poultry Farmer of the Year and M&S Farmer of the Year.
“In the FBD Awards, I was a runner -up for Farm of the Year – that was two months ago. I was honoured to win the awards and be nominated for the others as it is good farming practice.”
As for 2016, Graham will be hoping for more of the same with some new expansion perhaps on the horizon.
“Next year I’ll be looking out for new technology and new things on the horizon. Hopefully next year will bring more good news and you never know what will come along,” he concluded.
Taken from Irish Tractor & Agri magazine Vol 4 No 2, February 2016
