Westmeath father and son win Dairying award

Derek Ray and his son Luke of Moate, Co.Westmeath were recently awarded the Best New Entrants to Dairying at the Lakeland Dairies Milk Quality Awards.

The Milk Quality Awards are a recognition of the achievements of Lakeland Dairies’ milk suppliers who are committed to quality in all aspects of their milk production.

There were 3,200 farm families across 17 counties who produce milk for the 2bn litres Lakeland Dairies milk pool in the running for these awards.

The awards were presented by Lakeland Dairies’ Chairman Niall Matthews and Group Chief Executive Colin Kelly at a special event in Corick House Hotel, Clogher, Co. Tyrone, together with Edwin Poots MLA, Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Lakeland Dairies Chairman, Niall Matthews, paid tribute to the award winners:

"The milk quality awards are a source of great pride, focusing on excellence in dairy farming. The markets we serve are demand-driven, with numerous supply channels available to customers and consumers. Every time dairy farmers step into the parlour, they are putting to use a lifetime of experience, knowledge, and dedication. Milk quality is the backbone of everything we do. It ensures that our products end up in the best markets in the world, maintaining our reputation and supporting our livelihoods.

“The milk we collect from pasture-fed herds on family-owned farms is the high-quality raw material that has established our reputation as a leading global dairy provider. This status will continue based on the excellent achievements of our 3,200 farm families."