The Ryan family from Co. Tipperary have beaten stiff competition to be named by Ornua and the National Dairy Council as the overall winners of the 2025 NDC/Kerrygold Quality Milk Awards.

The prestigious annual awards programme, often referred to as the 'Dairy Oscars' saw 12 finalists compete for the top prize.

The awards, now in their sixteenth year, showcase the excellence of Irish dairy and today (Thursday, October 23) suppliers from seven counties and 12 dairy co-ops were recognised for their hard work and dedication.

NDC/Kerrygold award winners

The excited finalists from Co. Cork, Tipperary, Monaghan, Kerry and Waterford, Clare and Mayo gathered today to hear who had had impressed judges the most.

After a nervous wait Tom, Mary, and Michael Ryan from Moyne, Thurles, Co. Tipperary were called to the stage to receive the overall 2025 award.

The family who supply Centenary Thurles "excelled" through a comprehensive judging process.

According to one of the judges, Professor Karina Pierce, the Ryans were chosen because of their attention to detail in key areas including environmental sustainability, animal health and welfare and farm infrastructure.

They also excelled when it came to hygiene standards, soil and grassland management, farm advocacy and technical performance.

Prof. Pierce said: "The Ryans demonstrate that it is possible to achieve high productivity while protecting nature and enhancing the natural enviroment.

This is the second year in a row the award has gone to Co. Tipperary, with the Kennedy farm from Cahir, Co. Tipperary claiming the honour last year.

According to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, who was a guest at today's award ceremony, the Ryan family "deservedly earned" the recognition as the standard-bearers for milk quality.

“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," the minister said.

NDC chief Emma Walls, also congratulated the Co. Tippearary family, and highlighted that each of the finalists were winners in their own right.

"The dedication shown by our finalists, category winners and overall winners reaffirms Ireland’s pride in its dairy farming families, processors and advisors," she added.

Separately Ornua's chief executive, Conor Galvin, praised the Ryans’ "exceptional performance across every aspect of milk production".

He said that each finalist in the 2025 awards all shares "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".

Additional prizes

Six further prizes were awarded at the ceremony based on excellence in certain individual areas.

The award winners included;

Ryan Farm, (Centenary Thurles), Thurles, Co. Tipperary (Overall winner & Environmental Stewardship Award winner);
Trench/Ronayne Farm (Aurivo Co-op), Claremorris, Co. Mayo (Lowest Carbon Footprint Award winner);
Sheehan/O'Leary Farm (Dairygold Co-op), Whitechurch, Co. Cork (Grassland Management Award winner);
Killeen Farm, (Kerry Dairy Ireland), Doonbeg, Co. Clare (Milking Hygiene and Facilities Award winner);
O'Neill Farm, (Lisavaird Co-op), Clonakilty, Co. Cork (Animal Health and Welfare Award winner);
Byrne Farm, (Tirlán), Dungarvan, Co. Waterford (Lowest SCC Award winner)