Cavan dairy farmers David and Kathleen Cassidy have been named overall winners of the 2012 NDC and Kerrygold Quality Milk Awards, known in the industry as the “Sam Maguire of farming”.

THE board of directors of Dairygold Co-op elected Bertie O’Leary as chairman and James Lynch as vice-chairman last week (see pictures on page 10).

THE Irish Dairy Board (IDB) yesterday opened the new Adams Food Ingredients (AFI) manufacturing centre in Leek, Staffordshire, England.

ICONIC brand Kerrygold will be the template for a suite of new cheese and dairy products to be developed for export at the Dairy Innovation Centre, launched at Teagasc Moorepark, in Fermoy, Co Cork, yesterday.

IF IRELAND had Germany’s milk delivery pattern, up to 60% expansion could be catered for without spending on extra processing plant, according to Irish Dairy Board and Dairygold Co-op chairman Vincent Buckley.

THERE has been frightening stagnation in the milk quota restricted dairy industry, according to Irish Examiner Farming Forum panellist John Murphy.

IRISH co-ops do not have the money to expand the country’s milk processing capacity in line with the Government’s stated mid-term target of a 50% productivity increase, according to the Irish Co-operative Organisation Society Ltd (ICOS).

THE important economic role farmers play in providing food and services to society has been highlighted by Copa-Cogeca, which represents European farmers and agri co-ops.

DAIRYGOLD’S results for 2009 show the group encountered another tough year as dairy markets remained weak internationally.

DAIRYGOLD yesterday announced the appointment of dairy science graduate Jim Woulfe as its new chief executive.

THE time has come for the Government to cut the dairy industry some slack. Even as Brussels pumps money into supporting the dairy market, to keep farmers’ heads above water, Dublin has dragged them down, with payment delays, budget cuts, and our national credit crisis.

The Dairygold Group’s pre-tax profits fell drastically last year.

PROFITS before tax plunged from €15.9 million to €1.3m in 2008 at the north Cork-based Dairygold Group.

DAIRYGOLD chairman Vincent Buckley has told the IFA the company is in a healthy financial position.

THE deterioration in the trading outlook for both Dairygold Co-op and Reox Holdings has raised major concerns among farmers.

DAIRYGOLD Co-op is preparing for a future without milk quotas, it disclosed yesterday when Agriculture Fisheries and Food Minister Brendan Smith visited its dairy processing facilities in Mitchelstown, Co Cork.