Public trust in Irish dairy farmers increases - NDC
74% of Irish adults trust Irish dairy farmers to take care of the environment, according to new research from the National Dairy Council (NDC).
That figure is up from 47% in 2022 and also marks a further 2% growth in trust since May 2025.
The research, undertaken during November 2025, also shows 81% of consumers agreed that “dairy can be part of a sustainable diet”, which is up from 68% in 2022.
While 82% believe “dairy is part of a healthy, balanced diet”, up from 65% in 2022.
Dairy farmers
The NDC has been tracking public sentiment since 2022 across all adult age cohorts at regular intervals, measuring attitudes toward sustainability, nutrition and environmental care.
Commenting on the latest findings, Emma Walls, National Dairy Council chief executive, said:
"Against a backdrop of negative commentary and misinformation about farming, this sustained increase represents an excellent result and demonstrates that the positive, evidence-based messaging on dairy farming is clearly resonating with the public.
"Ultimately, however, the real credit for this shift lies with our dairy farmers. Their ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship, introducing multiple sustainability measures on farm is building trust and confidence with Irish people."
Iarlaith Corcoran, managing director at Opinions Research, added that "the scale and consistency of the increase we are seeing is notable".
"Trust in Irish dairy farmers’ care for the environment has risen steadily across multiple waves of research since 2022, and the latest results show that this positive shift is being sustained across age groups.
"This suggests a genuine improvement in public understanding and confidence, rather than a short-term change in sentiment," he said.
