14 October 2026
By Valerie Ryan
valerie@TheCork.ie
By Valerie Ryan
valerie@TheCork.ie
Tom McGrath, Head of Commercial at Glenilen Farm in West Cork, has been selected as one of four agri leaders to receive a prestigious Nuffield Ireland Scholarship which will commence in 2027. Nuffield Ireland’s mission is to discover, inspire and support people to develop their capacity, character and confidence to promote positive change and world class leadership in agriculture, food and farming. It is part of Nuffield International, a valuable global network which includes Nuffield organisations in 8 countries.
Raised in Shanagarry, Tom will be introduced at the Nuffield Ireland 2026 annual conference, ‘Farming the Future – People, Purpose, Possibilities’, on Friday 6 November at the Hodson Bay Hotel, Athlone.
A business graduate of the University of Limerick, Tom holds an MSc in Management Information and Managerial Accounting Systems from University College Cork. He began his career at Ornua, spending more than five years in North America growing the Kerrygold brand and gaining experience in brand development, retail strategy and the expansion of Irish dairy in the US market.
Returning to Ireland in 2014, Tom took on the commercial strategy of Glenilen Farm, the family-owned West Cork dairy business founded by Alan and Valerie Kingston. In the 12 years since, he has built the company’s sales and marketing team, driven innovation and secured long-term retail partnerships, helping to grow the business from humble beginnings to more than €20 million in annual turnover while preserving its family values and farming heritage. As a member of the senior management team, he focuses on innovation and value-added dairy, growing Irish-produced yoghurt at home, extracting greater value from Irish milk and strengthening rural economies and Ireland’s food security.
His Nuffield study, “Creating greater value from Irish milk: lessons for Ireland’s indigenous dairy sector”, will take place over the next two years.
Nuffield Ireland Chair, Graínne Dwyer, said: “Tom brings a rare combination of brand-building experience on the international stage and first-hand knowledge of what it takes to grow a family-owned Irish food business from the ground up. His study into creating greater value from Irish milk is exactly the kind of practical, forward-looking research that benefits the whole sector, and we are delighted to welcome him.”
Farming the Future
The Nuffield Ireland 2026 annual conference, ‘Farming the Future – People, Purpose, Possibilities will boast a diverse line-up of speakers and panellists, with delegates being given the opportunity to hear panel discussions on ‘Producing More Than Food – Farming, Nature and the Next Generation’, and ‘Beyond the Farm Gate – Understanding Tomorrow’s Consumer’, as well as a keynote on ‘The Farm of 2050: How AI, Robotics and Data Will Reshape Agriculture’. Confirmed speakers include Dr Catherine Farrell (Trinity College Dublin); Aisling Meehan (Aisling Meehan Agricultural Solicitor); Claire Brennan (Making Farms Work for Women); David Kerr (Dairy Farmer and Farming for Nature Ambassador); Paul Kelly, (IBEC’s Food Drink Ireland); Richard Cooper (Our Food Roots); Mandy Hennebry (Tirlán), and Dr Siobhán Jordan (Teagasc). More speakers will be confirmed in advance of the conference.
Four returning 2025 Nuffield Ireland Scholars will present their findings and recommendations in two scholar panels, each followed by an expert response and moderated discussion. The first will feature Marina Conway (agroforestry) and Seamus McMenamin (generational renewal and diversification in the Irish sheep sector), with Prof Jim McAdam providing an expert response. The second will feature Majella McCafferty (connecting production with the people it serves across the agri-food chain) and Zoe McKay (building resilience in Irish grasslands as the climate changes), with Dr Brendan Horan (Irish Farmers’ Journal) providing an expert response.
Michael Berkery, Chair of the FBD Trust, said: “As founding investor of Nuffield Ireland, FBD Trust is proud to support this year’s conference as the organisation marks 30 years. The Nuffield programme provides a valuable opportunity for scholars to learn from international best practice and bring fresh perspectives back to Irish agriculture. We congratulate Tom on his selection. Scholars like him bring valuable insight and leadership back to Irish farming and food.”
The 2027 Nuffield Ireland Scholars will participate in the Nuffield international programme and conduct their global research over the next two years before returning to present their findings at the 2028 Nuffield Ireland Conference.
Booking and further information for the 2026 conference and banquet: https://ti.to/nuffield/