The competition to identify and reward the country’s top dairy farm on milk quality has opened for 2016, with dairy co-ops throughout the country invited to nominate their top milk suppliers for the NDC & Kerrygold Quality Milk Awards before Friday 13 May.

At the launch, Kerrygold spokesperson Jeanne Kelly said: “Irish dairy produce has a superb reputation for quality in global markets. Many of us take it for granted that we have countryside with so many fields of grass – but our green countryside is a tremendous asset because the pasture-based model of dairy farming is a vital ingredient for the success of the Kerrygold brand worldwide.”

The national judges will initially undertake detailed assessments based on the nomination forms submitted from across Ireland and technical reports spanning a full 12-month period in order to select a shortlist of finalists.

The judges will then arrange to visit each of the finalist farms for an inspection. Last year the overall award went to Drinagh Co-op supplier Kieran O’Sullivan and family from Goleen out on the coast of west Cork.

What you need to do

Nominations for the NDC & Kerrygold Quality Milk Awards should be submitted from co-ops and co-op farm services managers using the official nomination form, before Friday 13 May. Rules, nomination criteria and details about the minimum qualifying standards for entry are listed on the front of the 2016 nomination form, available at www.qualitymilkawards.ie. Please note that the minimum qualifying standard for entry for this national competition is TBC of 15,000 or less/ml average per month; and average SCC of 200,000 or less/ml with no count greater than 400,000/ml in any given month of the year in question.

The results of the national awards are expected to be announced in October.

Watch the winner below:

To watch all the other finalists, click here.