The 2014 NDC & Kerrygold Quality Milk Awards has announced the fifteen dairy farms shortlisted as national finalists. The finalists come from seven counties, including Tipperary, Galway and six from Co. Cork.
Dairy co-operatives throughout the country have nominated their best dairy farmers for the national awards, with top farmers often representing a supplier base of hundreds. Detailed technical data about each farm was scrutinised by the expert national judging panel in order to select the shortlist.
The national judging panel - Professor Patrick Wall, Associate Professor of Public Health at UCD; Dr David Gleeson, Milk Quality Research, Teagasc; and Dr. Jack Kennedy, Dairy Editor, Irish Farmers Journal - will now visit the finalists for an inspection, before they select the overall national winner. In making their decision, they will look at milk quality records, along with information about milking practices and facilities, care of the environment, sustainable practices, dairy herd health, animal welfare and general farm management.
The overall top dairy farmer is due to be announced in mid-October and will receive a trophy and €5,000. The judges also have the discretion each year to give national category awards.
Pictured are the national judges for the NDC & Kerrygold Quality Milk Awards; Dr David Gleeson, Milk Quality Research, Teagasc, Dr. Jack Kennedy, Dairy Editor, Irish Farmers Journal, and Professor Patrick Wall, Associate Professor of Public Health at UCD.
© 2014 - Checkout Magazine by Nathan Evans
