Local farm family named as finalists in NDC & Kerrygold Quality Milk Awards

A farm family on the Offaly/Tipperary border are among 13 who have reached the finals of the 2022 National Dairy Council (NDC) and Kerrygold Quality Milk Awards.

The Toohey family from Cullenwaine, Cloughjordan, Co. Offaly have been named as a finalist in the NDC & Kerrygold Quality Milk Awards

Dubbed the ‘Oscars of the Dairy World’, the awards recognise and celebrate the highest standards of excellence in dairy farming with a focus on milk quality, animal welfare, and sustainable farming practices.

Eoin and Colette Toohey live at Cullenwaine, Cloughjordan, with their four sons David, Killian, Brian and Cathal. Eoin’s father purchased the land in 1971 and both Eoin and Colette have been farming it since 2001. Second-generation farmers, they have worked hard to responsibly increase the herd size since the quotas were lifted. The Toohey operation is a family one through and through, with the family still farming Colette’s land 20 miles away as well as owning and operating a fully functioning heifer rearing and beef enterprise on Colette’s farm in North Kilkenny. True advocates of all things nature, the Toohey’s are ever conscious of nurturing the environment around them and building towards a more sustainable future.

The Tooheys supply Arrabawn diary co-op.

The prestigious awards, now in their eleventh year, reward farming families working every day to produce high quality dairy through sustainable production methods. In recent years, the awards have introduced additional criteria to acknowledge farmers that operate a sustainable dairy operation with clear evidence of excellent technical practices in the areas beyond quality milk, namely; care for the environment and animal welfare; dairy and parlour facilities; and hygiene.

Commenting on the awards, John Jordan, CEO, Ornua said, “As Ireland’s largest exporter of dairy products, and proud owners of Kerrygold, we see first-hand how Irish dairy is revered by consumers in every corner of the world. This is owing to our unique grass-based grazing system, our dedicated farming families and their continued commitment to sustainable production. We’re proud to support the Quality Milk Awards each year and to celebrate the passionate farming families who work tirelessly to produce world-class dairy and maintain Ireland’s global reputation as a leading sustainable producer of quality dairy products.”

The judging panel for this year’s awards included Dr Jack Kennedy, Dairy Editor of the Irish Farmers Journal, Dr Pat Wall, Professor of Public Health at UCD, and Dr David Gleeson, Milk Quality Research Officer at Teagasc.

The overall winner of the 2022 NDC & Kerrygold Quality Milk Awards will be announced at a special ceremony in Ballyvolane House, Co. Cork on Wednesday, September 14