The Top Dairy Farm 2013 winners are Edward andn Olivia Fitzgerarld, Effin, Kilmallock, Co. Limerick.

At the NDC/Kerrygold awards ceremony  yesterday at the RDS in Dublin, the couple  received the Perpetual Cup and 5000 euros prizemoney.

Fourteen dairy farms had been short-listed as national finalists for the 2013 National Dairy Council & Kerrygold Quality Milk Awards. The competition, which sets out to highlight and reward Irish dairy farming excellence, has been described as -The Sam Maguire of Farming-.

The short listed farms received inspection visits from all three members of the expert judging panel - Professor Pat Wall, Associate Professor of Public Health at UCD; Dr. Jack Kennedy, Dairy Editor, Irish Farmers Journal; and Dr David Gleeson, Milk Quality Research, Teagasc.

The judges extensively scrutinised technical information and farm management practices supporting each farm’s consistently excellent quality milk standards. They also assessed aspects of contemporary dairy farming ranging from sustainability and animal welfare to care of the environment.

The fourteen finalists( in alphabetical order) were:

• David Boland, Cartron’s Glebe, Horseleap, Moate, Co. Westmeath (supplying milk to Aurivo Co-operative Society)
• Kevin Bourke, Ballinlonty, Borrisoleigh, Thurles, Co. Tipperary (supplying milk to Tipperary Co-op)
• Glenn Chapman, Tobergal, Ferns, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford (supplying milk to Glanbia Ingredients Ireland)
• Denis Collins, Letterlickey, Bantry, Co. Cork (supplying milk to Drinagh Co-op)
• Edward Fitzgerald, Tobernea, Kilmallock, Co. Limerick (suppling milk to Kerry Agribusiness)
• Richard & Nora Fitzgerald, Gortnahown, Mitchelstown, Co. Cork (supplying milk to Dairygold Co-op)
• Noel & Anne Jennings, Clancoole, Bandon, Co. Cork (supplying milk to Bandon Co-op)
• John McCarthy, Ballymacredmond, Butlerstown, Bandon, Co. Cork (supplying milk to Barryroe Co-op)
• Thomas Mahon, Geeha North, Kinvara, Co. Galway (supplying milk to Arrabawn Co-op)
• Conor Molony, Clobanna, Thurles, Co. Tipperary (supplying milk to Centenary Thurles Co-op)
• Gerard Murphy, Cahermaculick, Shrule, Co. Mayo (supplying milk to Aurivo Co-operative Society)
• Denis O’Gorman, Ballinagoul, Kilmallock, Co. Limerick (supplying milk to Kerry Agribusiness)
• John O’Gorman, Hugginstown, Co. Kilkenny (suppling milk to Glanbia Ingredients Ireland)
• Ronald Shorten, Woodfield, Clonakilty, Co. Cork (suppling milk to Lisavaird Co-op)

Further info here