The Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS) has warmly welcomed the announcement that Tirlán milk supplier Cheryl Poole has been named the overall winner of the Copa-Cogeca Innovation Award for Women Farmers 2025. Representing ICOS and Ireland in a highly competitive European field, Cheryl claimed the top honour at the awards ceremony held at the European Parliament.

Ms. Poole received her award from EU Commissioner for Agriculture and Food, Christophe Hansen.

Copa-Cogeca is the joint association of European farmers and agricultural co-operatives (including ICOS) that represents and advocates for their interests at EU level. This year’s Innovation Award theme, “Women Making Waves in Sustainable Water Systems” recognised women farmers driving practical, scalable, and science-led improvements in water management and environmental resilience across Europe.

Cheryl’s project focused on water stewardship, biodiversity protection, and community engagement and was selected by the distinguished jury as the standout example of innovative, water-smart farming.

Ms. Poole, who farms with her husband Alan and their three children along the banks of the River Bann in Co. Wexford, has implemented an integrated range of measures to improve water quality on their 103-acre dairy farm. These include rainwater harvesting, improved nutrient planning, covered slurry storage, sediment traps and the creation of a small wetland. Together, these actions have protected the river’s high ecological status while enhancing on-farm biodiversity.

Damien O’Reilly, EU Affairs & Communications Manager at ICOS, praised the achievement. “This is an incredible achievement for Cheryl to be honoured at European level. These prestigious awards attract huge interest from right across Europe in highlighting the immense contribution which women make to innovative farming. Cheryl’s passion for farming and dedication to protecting nature and improving water quality was highlighted to stakeholders across Europe including EU Agriculture Commissioner Christoph Hansen at the awards ceremony in Brussels. It gave a great snapshot of the work which is happening on farms throughout Ireland to protect water quality.

“This is a great win for the Poole family, for Tirlán Co-op and we in ICOS are delighted to have supported her entry and to congratulate Cheryl for this amazing success. Her success highlights the innovation, environmental and sustainability commitment on Irish farms and reinforces Ireland’s leadership in sustainable dairy production.

Cheryl holds a BSc from NUI Galway and a PhD in Chemistry. She and her family have been strong ambassadors for Tirlán’s River Slaney Project and were named Tirlán Sustainability Champions in 2025, demonstrating their longstanding commitment to environmental leadership.

Speaking at the ceremony, EU Commissioner for Agriculture and Food, Christophe Hansen, commended the winners and emphasised the importance of supporting women in agriculture across the EU. “It’s a privilege to celebrate women farmers who are driving innovation and sustainability across Europe’s rural communities. With only 31% of farm managers being women, and even fewer young women, we know there is still enormous untapped potential. The Common Agricultural Policy is stepping up, with better infrastructure, services, and stronger support for female farmers, and our new Women in Farming platform will help connect and inspire even more women to enter the sector. Today’s finalists show what women in agriculture can achieve and how much more is possible.”