NDC Quality Milk Awards

Judging Underway for 2010

Eleven dairy farms in eight counties and representing eight different co-ops were shortlisted for a visit by the national judging panel in the 2010 NDC Quality Milk Awards - the national competition which sets out to identify and reward our top dairy farmer.

“Dairy co-ops who submit their top farmers to represent their entire group of farmer suppliers, have already undertaken a form of short-listing for the awards - and so the quality of entries is very high,” explains NDC Chief Executive, Helen Brophy. “Nomination for the NDC Quality Milk Awards is, in its own right, a reflection of very high farming standards at national level, which we believe the farmers involved can be particularly proud of.”

National judges for this year’s NDC Quality Milk Awards are Professor Paddy Wall, Associate Professor of Public Health at UCD; Dr David Gleeson, Milk Quality Research, Teagasc; and Jack Kennedy, Dairy Editor, Irish Farmers' Journal.

The NDC Quality Milk Awards help to build awareness about the Irish dairy farmers who are behind Irish dairy brands; and create an opportunity to showcase to consumers the top quality of dairy farming in the Republic of Ireland. The Awards also provide a platform for the dairy sector, for co-ops to highlight to their own suppliers the technical requirements, standards and techniques which drive top quality milk production.

In the next phase of the Awards, the judges will assess all of the technical and background data on the finalists alongside information from the inspection of their farms, in order to select the overall national winner.

It is expected that the final results will be known in the Autumn, with the overall winning farmer set to receive a prize of €5,000 and the NDC Quality Milk Awards perpetual trophy at an awards ceremony later this year.

Meet the Shortlisted Farmers and their Families

Billy & Deirdre Connor - Crossmolina, Co Mayo

Sean Hurley - Ballintemple, Arklow, Co Wicklow

Michael Keating - Kilcoleman, Rathkeale, Co Limerick

Patrick Kennedy - near Toomevara, Nenagh, Co Tipperary

Eoghan McCarthy - Milltown, Co Kerry

Seamus Murray - Racecourse, Knockcroghery, Co Roscommon

Denis & Bridget O'Brien - Farranamoy, Kinsale, Co Cork

Noel O'Donovan - Ballymacwilliam, Clonakilty, Co Cork

Owen O'Riordan - Islandbrack, Boherbue, Mallow, Co Cork

Robert & Shirley Shannon - Droumgarriffe, Ballinascarthy, Co Cork

John & Kevin Walsh - Kilnafrehan West, Dungarvan, Co Waterford