Co. Cork’s Glenn Forde and his family have been announced as the overall winner of the 2024 Carbery Milk Quality and Sustainability Awards.
Glenn together with his wife Pamela and their twin sons Conor and Shea (aged 12) is farming on Horsehill, overlooking the Bandon River near Ballinadee, Co Cork.
His parents Maynard and Margaret also involved in a supporting role and are on hand to help and advise when needed.
The awards, now in their 20th year, aim to showcase the best of Irish dairy farming and are also as an opportunity for Carbery to recognise its milk suppliers and their commitment to achieving the “highest standards in milk quality and sustainability”.
The family now farm 245 acres and with 250 cows, Glenn’s milk solids average 523kg/cow.
The Forde’s farm
The farm has always taken on apprentices and Glenn is a very positive ambassador for farming as a career, stating “It gives me great pep in my step to see young people getting an interest in farming.”
Glenn said there can sometimes be challenges and “there is sometimes pressure and stress but the hours can be flexible, and can give a good quality of life and it’s important to me to go to training and matches with the kids and farming allows me to do that.”
The farm was bought by Glenn’s grandfather in the 1940s (the farm was the number two supplier to Bandon co-op), and Glenn took over from his father Maynard in 2006, expanding from 80 to 250 cows.
A new parlour was installed in 2012 on the farm and it is just one in a range of measures introduced to steadily grow the herd and improve efficiency.
Sustainability has also been an important part of this investment, with Glenn being one of the first participants in the Carbery Greener Dairy Farms group and is also a member of the Board of Bandon Co-op.
Carbery milk quality and sustainability
Carbery CEO, Jason Hawkins, said awards gave the co-op an “opportunity to celebrate the great work done by our farmer shareholders.”
“Farmers are central to everything we do – and they in turn are ambassadors for the wider industry that supports 55,000 jobs in Ireland”
The CEO added that “In Glenn and in all of our finalists across the west Cork Co-ops, this year, and for the past 20 years, we are proud to showcase and celebrate their commitment to progressive and sustainable farming for the future.”
The finalists of from the four West Cork co-ops for this year’s awards were as follows:
Drinagh Co-op:
- Jim and Frances Pyburn, Durrus;
- Jason and Elaine Wolfe, Stouke, Ballydehob – Drinagh winner;
- Michael and Anne Duggan, Ballyboy, Dunmanway.
Barryroe Co-op:
- Martin Galvin, Old Court, Kinsale;
- TJ and Marie Barry, Garrettstown, Ballinspittle;
- Teddy & Cillian Cullinane, Ballinascarthy, Clonakilty – Barryroe winner.
Bandon Co-op:
- Thomas, Adam & Jacqueline Gleasure, Knockleigh, Belgooly;
- John Hurley, Ardkitt, Ballineen;
- Glenn Forde, Ballinadee, Bandon – Bandon and overall winner.
Lisavaird Co-op:
- Colman, Breda and Patrick McCarthy, Ballinavar, Rosscarbery;
- Caroline O’Neill, Crohane, Ballinascarthy – Lisavaird winner;
- Timothy and Tadgh Feen, Ballyluck, Ardfield.
Carbery group chair, Vincent O’Donovan, added: “With over 17,500 family dairy farms in Ireland, it’s so important that we recognise the hard work that they do each day to produce quality, sustainable milk.”
“The Carbery Milk Quality and Sustainability Awards have recognised and celebrated farming families and custodians of the land in West Cork for the past twenty years.”
O’Donovan also highlighted that “farmers are the backbone of the rural economy, and, in my first year as Chairman, it is a privilege to showcase the work that they do.”
The judges for this year’s competition were Carbery quality managers, Paddy Barrett and Barry Ryan, Teagasc’s John McNamara, and Carbery farm sustainability manager, Aoife Healy O’Driscoll.
The judges were impressed by the commitment to quality across all farms this year, the dedication of the farmers and the levels of commitment to sustainable initiatives.