News
Closing Date Approaches in Search for Top Dairy Farmer
Dairy co-ops in the Republic of Ireland have until 30th April 2010 to nominate their top dairy farmers for this year’s National Dairy Council Quality Milk Awards, which aim to identify and reward high standards of milk production.
The overall winning farmer will receive a prize of €5,000 and the National Dairy Council Quality Milk Awards perpetual trophy. It is also at the discretion of the judges each year to select whether category prizes will be awarded – for instance in areas such as care of the environment or best family/small farm.
National judges for the NDC 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.
Submitting Nominations
Co-ops may nominate farmers living in and farming in the Republic of Ireland who are producing liquid or manufacturing milk.
The minimum qualifying standard for entry is average TBC 20,000 or less/ml average per month; and average SCC 250,000 or less/ml with no count over 400,000 ml in any given month of the year in question. Further information about rules and the number of nominees which can be submitted by dairy co-ops are published in full on the entry forms.
Entry forms have been distributed to dairy co-ops, with a closing date of 30th April 2010 for this year’s awards. Additional entry forms are available if needed from The NDC - tel 01-6169726 and can be downloaded by clicking on the links Nomination Form and On Farm Checklist.
The judges will initially select a short list based on the entry form details. The judges will then visit and inspect the farms of the finalists in order to select the overall national winner.
According to the National Dairy Council, the Quality Milk Awards create an opportunity to showcase to consumers the top quality of dairy farming in the Republic of Ireland help to build awareness about the dairy farmers behind our local dairy brands. From a farming perspective, these Awards provide a valuable platform for co-ops to highlight to their own suppliers the technical requirements, standards and techniques which drive top quality milk production.
For further information please contact: Antonina Ni Dhuinn, Progress Communications
Telephone: 01-276 6117 or email nina@progresspr.ie