The Centre for Co-operative Studies ran an essay competition with Ornua over the Summer months on the role played by co-operatives in promoting sustainability and bio-diversity at farm level in Ireland. The prize was €1,000. The competition was won by Mike O’Connor who is a current student on the MSc in Co-operatives, Agri-Food and Sustainable Development. He was recently presented with his prize by Charlie Purcell, Sustainability & CSR Specialist with Ornua, here in UCC.
Aimed at current students and recent graduates, the competition asked entrants to submit a 1,500-2,000 word essay describing the role played by co-operatives in promoting sustainability and bio-diversity at farm level in Ireland, now and into the future.
The essay competition brought together Ornua, a dairy co-operative and Ireland’s largest exporter of Irish dairy products, exporting to c.110 countries worldwide, and the Centre for Co-operative Studies at UCC.
Established in 1980, the Centre for Co-operative Studies has carried out extensive research into agricultural, community, worker, housing and credit co-operatives.
The Centre works closely with the Department of Food Business and Development in UCC to deliver the MSc in Co-operatives, Agri-Food and Sustainable Development.
