Tipperary farm awarded top prize at the Quality Milk Awards

The Ryan Family from Moyne, Thurles were the overall winners of the 2025 National Dairy Council and Kerrygold Quality Milk Awards.

The Ryan Family from Co. Tipperary Awarded Top Prize at the 2025 NDC & Kerrygold Quality Milk Awards.

The Ryan family from Thurles, Co Tipperary, were announced as the overall winners of the 2025 National Dairy Council (NDC) and Kerrygold Quality Milk Awards.

The Ryan's family farm, which supplies Centenary Thurles Co-op, who nominated Tom, Mary, and Michael Ryan, for the award, was announced as the overall winners, having excelled through a comprehensive judging process spanning the areas of environmental sustainability, animal health and welfare, farm infrastructure, hygiene standards, soil and grassland management, farm advocacy and technical performance.

The annual awards programme, now in its 16th year, saw 12 farming families from seven counties and 12 dairy co-ops celebrated for excellence in milk production and sustainable dairying at the award ceremony hosted at the Lyrath Estate Hotel.

Minister for Agriculture, Martin Heydon, commented: “I would like to offer my warmest congratulations to this year’s overall winner of the NDC and Kerrygold Quality Milk Awards, the Ryan family from County Tipperary, whose dedication to everyday excellence, from paddock to parlour, has deservedly earned them recognition as the standard-bearers for milk quality.

Continuing, the minister said: “Ireland’s global reputation as a sustainable producer of quality dairy is built upon the hard work and commitment of Irish farming families like the Ryans and all those we celebrate today. Not only have they each earned the recognition of their own co-operatives, they have represented their families, local communities, and the national dairy sector with pride, showcasing what it takes to produce a top-quality product while upholding the highest standards in animal care and environmental stewardship.” 

Commenting on the awards, Chief Executive of Ornua, Conor Galvin, said: “Each finalist brings their own unique perspective and heritage story to this year’s awards, but they all share the same deep commitment to quality that earns grass-fed Irish dairy, and Kerrygold, a place in the hearts and homes of consumers all over the world.” In addition to the overall prize, six category awards were presented for excellence in the individual areas of milk hygiene and facilities, environmental stewardship, grassland management, animal health and welfare, lowest carbon footprint, and low somatic cell count (SCC).

Other award-winning farms include Killeen farm, Co Clare, in milk hygiene and facilities. The overall winners, the Ryan family, also won the environmental stewardship award, and the grassland management award was won by the Sheehan/ O’Leary farm located in Cork.

The Animal Health and Welfare award was also scooped up by a Cork-based farm, being awarded to the O’Neill’s farm in Clonakilty. The Lowest carbon footprint award was given to the Trench/Ronayne farm located in Mayo, and the lowest SCC award was presented to the Byrne farm from Waterford.

Other finalists for the awards included the Kelly farm from Tipperary, O’Donoghue farm, O’Donovan farm and the Duggan farm from Cork, McElroy farm from Monaghan, and the Stack farm from Kerry.

National Dairy Council CEO, Emma Walls, said: “Congratulations to the Ryan family farm on this outstanding achievement. Each of our finalists are a winner in their own right, demonstrating that excellence in dairy production is achievable every day. Ireland’s global reputation is built on the commitment and sustainability practices of Irish dairy farmers setting the benchmark for nutritious, grass-based milk production. The dedication shown by our finalists, category winners and overall winners reaffirms Ireland’s pride in its dairy farming families, processors and advisors.”