Locals named as ‘cream of the crop’ in National Dairy Awards
Locals have been named amongst the ‘cream of the crop’ as the 2023 finalists for the National Diary Awards have been announced.
Young dairy farmers are well represented as two locals have been named as finalists in the Mullinahone Young Dairy Farmer of the Year Category - Jack Kearney of Rathcormac and Rikki Bayer of Carrignavar will represent Cork in this category.
Rikki is in a longterm lease milking 130 dairy cows through two robots and followed her passion for grass-based dairy farming, progressing through the industry from farm hand to farm manager, to running her own dairy business.
Jack Kearney is a 28-year- old farmer, farming in partnership with his mother and father for the last 9 years. Since coming home to farm, the herd has doubled, now milking 160 cows.
TheA vondhu catchment area will also see representation in the Best Artisan Product 2023 (non-cheese) category as Jonathan Owens of Greenfield Yoghurts is in the running. Located in Killavullen, Jonathan makes natural live yogurt on his 60-cow farm.
West Waterford locals in the dairy industry also saw strong representation at the National Diary Awards, with Edward Lonergan of Knockanore Farmhouse Cheese, who have been producing raw milk cheddar cheese on their family farm since 1987, representing the county in the ‘Best Artisan Cheese 2023’.
Nearby, Kevin Moloney of Harvestgate Farms in Ballyphillip has made the shortlist under the ‘Germinal Responsible Grassland Manager of the Year’ category. He is using protected urea, while also using Multi Species Swards and Low Emission Slurry Spreading as part of his farming system.
EMBRACING CHALLENGE
A total of nine finalists from the county of Cork, four from Waterford, four from Tipper- ary, and five from Limerick will take part in the 2023 National Dairy Awards which recognise the quality and talents of the country’s dairy farmers, vets and producers.
The dairy sector is the jewel of the Irish agricultural industry but it is facing many challenges. The National Dairy Awards recognise and celebrate those who have embraced these challenges and are driving the sector on to a brighter and sustainable future.
The inaugural National Dairy Awards gala evening presentations will take place in the Midlands Park Hotel, Portlaoise on Thursday, June 15.