Farming: Waterford finalists for National Dairy Awards announced
Knockanore Farmhouse Cheese from Waterford is a finalist in the Artisan Cheese and Non-Cheese categories.
The third Annual National Dairy Awards will take place in the Midlands Park Hotel, Portlaoise, on the evening of June 19.
Initially launched in 2023, the awards celebrate all that is good in the dairy industry.
A black-tie event honouring the farmer, farm manager, dairy advisor, dairy vet and dairy innovator, the awards acknowledge their dedication and hard work in this crucial industry.
This celebration of excellence also extends beyond the farm to the artisan champions, the processors, the discussion groups and the industry leaders, who are blazing a trail in ingenuity, creativity and sustainability.
Munster - and Waterford - is very well represented among the finalists:
- Michael & Eileen Kennedy, Keraun Farm, Tipperary are finalists in the Kerry Dairy Ireland Biodiversity Dairy Farmer of the Year.
- Both Brian O’Reilly, Benvult Ltd, Limerick, and John Haugh, Kyle Farm, Tipperary are finalists in the Germinal Sustainable Dairy Grassland Manager of the Year.
- Alan Daly, Coolhull Dairy, Waterford, is a finalist in the Dairy Farm Manager of the Year.
- William Ryan and the Dairygold Milk Advisory Team are finalists in the Dairy Advisor of the Year category.
- FRS Co-op from Tipperary, Dairygold and Munster Bovine (in conjunction with ICBF and Progressive Genetics) are all finalists in the Best Dairy Research Programme / Project, with FRS Co-op also a finalist in the Dairy Innovation Recognition category.
- Munster also dominates the Green Acre Marketing Social Media Ambassador category with three finalists in Finnian Walsh and Louise Crowley from Limerick and Katie Gleeson from Tipperary.
- Well known vet, Hazell Mullins from Cork is a finalist in the Dairy Vet of the Year.
- Knockanore Farmhouse Cheese from Waterford and Bó Bainne Úr from Cork are both finalists in the Artisan Cheese and Non-Cheese categories.
- Dinny Galvin and the members of the West Kerry Dairy Farmers SEC are finalists in the Cormac Tagging Discussion / Support Group of the Year.
And all three finalists, Dairygold, Kerry Dairy Ireland and Carbery Group, in one of the biggest awards of the night – The PRSB Dairy Producer / Co-op of the year – all call Munster home.
