Taoiseach Micheál Martin crowned Dairygold milk suppliers Aileen Sheehan and Philip O’Leary from Whitechurch, Co Cork, as the overall winners of the 2024 Dairygold milk quality and sustainability awards.

The awards recognise outstanding milk quality and on-farm sustainability efforts by Dairygold’s milk suppliers.

This year’s awards also saw the introduction of a new category, the young dairy farmer of the year award - aimed to recognise the efforts of the next generation of dairy farmers who are demonstrating leadership, innovation and a commitment to sustainable farming practices.

This year’s overall winners Aileen and Philip have only been dairy farming together for four years on a fully leased holding near Whitechurch.

They're milking 138 cows on a 125-acre milking block, with an additional 50ac rented for silage and calves.

They have focused heavily on long-term sustainability while producing high quality milk. They have reseeded over 90% of their grazing platform and using protected urea as their primary nitrogen source.

Impressed

The judges were particularly impressed by their proactive approach to environmental initiatives, including their early involvement in the Farming for Water EIP scheme.

As part of their involvement in the scheme, they implemented measures such as sediment traps, tree planting and a bunded drainage system to protect the nearby Glashaboy stream.

The awards were based on 2024 milk quality data from Dairygold’s 2,500 milk suppliers across Cork, Tipperary, Limerick, Clare, Kerry and Waterford.

Eighteen finalists were shortlisted from each of the six Dairygold regions and assessed by a team of expert judges.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin, guest of honour at the event, commended the role of family farming in Ireland and the importance of supporting it for future success.

“The success we see in Irish farming today is a testament to the professionalism and resilience of our farm families.

"The dairy sector is a cornerstone of our rural economy and it is farmers, like those being honoured today, who are securing its future. Sustainability is central to that future and the commitment of these farmers to more sustainable farming practices is very encouraging, as they lay the groundwork for the next generation to thrive.”

Speaking about the awards, Dairygold chair Patrick Clancy said that the awards are an important opportunity to recognise the hard work, dedication and consistency of Dairygold's milk suppliers, who strive for excellence in milk quality.

Dairygold chief executive Michael Harte added: "Their efforts show that quality milk production and sustainability can go hand in hand.

"These award winners are not only leading by example today but helping shape the future of sustainable dairy farming among our Dairygold members.

"It is also encouraging to see the widespread adoption of more sustainable farming practices across our milk supplier base, which were clearly demonstrated as part of this awards process. These practices not only enhance water quality and further bolster the argument for the retention of the nitrates derogation, they also go a long way towards reducing our sectoral emissions and achieving our climate action targets.”