Ornua and the National Dairy Council (NDC) have announced the 12 farming-family finalists through to the NDC and Kerrygold Quality Milk Awards for 2021.

The Quality Milk Awards - dubbed the 'Oscars' of the dairy industry - is an annual programme recognising standards of excellence in dairy farming across the country.

Dairy co-operatives are invited to nominate their top suppliers for the awards each year, and the nominees are assessed on milk quality test results and technical reports spanning a full 12-month period.

“Each finalist was put through intense scrutiny, including a thorough analysis of milk quality reports and technical data spanning 12 months,” said Professor Pat Wall from University College Dublin, who is on this year’s judging panel.

 “The judging process also included an on-farm inspection to gain insights into areas such as animal welfare and sustainability,” he added.

Hailing from eight different counties – with five coming from Cork alone – and representing 12 dairy co-ops, the 2021 Quality Milk Award’s finalists are as follows:

In recent times, the awards have placed increasing emphasis on quality, animal welfare and sustainable farm practices, with this year’s theme being ‘Irish Dairying: Delivering Sustainably’.

According to Zoe Kavanagh, CEO of the NDC, sustainable and transparent practices are now ‘more important than ever’.

Adhering to all governmental guidelines, this year’s awards will take place outdoors at Moorepark Dairy Open Day on Wednesday, September 15.

For more information on the NDC and Kerrygold Quality Milk Awards, click here.