The Dairy | September 2017
NDC SEMINAR & FARM WALK IN ASSOCIATION WITH ORNUA & TEAGASC: QUALITY AS AN ESSENTIAL COMPONENT OF EXPORT DEVELOPMENT This event celebrates the excellence of Irish
covering economic, environmental and social
dairy farming highlighted annually by the NDC &
sustainability, and some of the means by which
Kerrygold Quality Milk Awards.
improvements can be made. He also made
“In
this
increasingly
marketplace,
competitive
communicating
the
global natural
attributes and quality of Irish dairy products has never been more important. Our grass-fed
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reference to some of the sustainability indicator results calculated using the Teagasc National Farm Survey, and how they can be used to highlight progress.
message is our competitive edge and one we
Seán Molloy of Glanbia looked at Quality
need to protect. We must continue to ensure
Underpinning Strategy and said “Achieving the
that quality and sustainability are at the heart of
level of excellence in milk quality as demonstrated
everything we do to ensure we meet the needs
by the Power family is a critical underpin which
of global consumers.” said Jeanne Kelly Group
allows Glanbia continue to invest in high value
Head of Communications at Ornua, opening the
dairy ingredient markets. The recognition by the
NDC Seminar 2017 held at the Dungarvan Park
NDC and its partners of the level of excellence in
Hotel in June.
milk production achieved by the Power family
The seminar also included presentations from Seán Molloy, Director of Strategy and Supply at Glanbia Ingredients Ireland; Dr John Lynch, Post-Doctoral Researcher at Teagasc; and NDC & Kerrygold Quality Milk Awards national judge,
and the effort to highlight the world leading quality performance of Irish milk suppliers sends a very positive signal to both domestic and international dairy buyers as milk production continues to grow in a post quota environment”
Dr Jack Kennedy. This was followed by a panel
The seminar was followed
discussion chaired by NDC Vice Chairman John
hosted by Teagasc on the Power Family dairy
Murphy.
farm walk hosted by Tom and Moya Power, from
John Lynch of Teagasc said “Sustainability is an increasingly important issue in agriculture. Consumers and businesses are demanding that food is produced sustainably, and there are a number of prominent policy topics in Ireland linked with agricultural sustainability. Sustainability is also an important component of Irish food marketing, and demonstrating the comparative advantages of producing milk in Ireland can be of benefit to the industry and entire supply chain” John provided an overview of the main aspects of sustainability relevant to Irish milk production,
by a farm walk
Drumhills Farm, Cappagh, Co. Waterford who were the overall winners of the 2016 Quality Milk Awards.