Montgomery Brothers Triumph in Lakeland Dairies Milk Quality Awards
The Milk Quality Awards celebrate the dedication and excellence of Lakeland Dairies' milk suppliers, recognizing their unwavering commitment to high standards in milk production.
The Montgomery brothers were selected from a competitive field of 3,200 farm families across 17 counties in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, who collectively contribute to Lakeland Dairies' 2 billion litre milk pool. The awards were presented by Edwin Poots MLA, Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly, along with Lakeland Dairies' Chairman Niall Matthews and Group Chief Executive Colin Kelly, during a distinguished event held at Corick House Hotel, Clogher, Co. Tyrone.
The Supreme Champions of the Lakeland Dairies Milk Quality Awards were Brian and Gene McGinnity, who farm in partnership at Scotstown, Co. Monaghan, winning the top prize for the exceptionally high quality of milk produced on their farm throughout the past year. The McGinnitys also took home the < 500,000-litre producer category award in ROI. Other Northern Ireland-based winners include Edwin and Gary Bryson from Craigavon, who were the highly commended runners-up in the >1m litre producer category; Sean and Ciaran McNaughton from Ballymena who won the <1m litre producer category; Mark Rea from Ballygawley, Tyrone, who was the highly commended runner-up in the <1m litre producer category; and Mark Lewis from Portadown, Co. Armagh, who won the Best New Entrant Category for the high quality of milk he supplies to Lakeland Dairies.
Meanwhile, Matthew Adams from Strangford, Co. Down, won the inaugural Lakeland Dairies Young Farmer Award. This award is aimed at recognizing the activity and involvement of young farmers in bringing fresh and new ideas to the family farm. The winner receives a bursary to take part in an agricultural study tour of their choice before the end of 2025.
Lakeland Dairies Chairman, Niall Matthews, paid tribute to the award winners, saying: "The milk quality awards are a source of great pride, focusing on excellence in dairy farming. The markets we serve are demand-driven, with numerous supply channels available to customers and consumers. Every time dairy farmers step into the parlour, they are putting to use a lifetime of experience, knowledge, and dedication. Milk quality is the backbone of everything we do. It ensures that our products end up in the best markets in the world, maintaining our reputation and supporting our livelihoods.”
“The milk we collect from pasture-fed herds on family-owned farms is the high-quality raw material that has established our reputation as a leading global dairy provider. This status will continue based on the excellent achievements of our 3,200 farm families."
Lakeland Dairies Group CEO Colin Kelly said: "Lakeland Dairies has a clear strategy in place to pursue value-added international growth opportunities while optimizing our operations and flexibility to compete successfully on a global stage.
“Through their commitment to quality and sustainability, Lakeland Dairies’ milk producers are well positioned to meet global dairy demand, underpinned by the overall efficiency of our production and processing systems. The quality of our dairy farmers and the milk they supply is world-class.
“This forms the foundation for further progress as a farmer-owned co-operative, exporting 240 different dairy products and food ingredients to customers in 100 countries worldwide."
Picture by Rory Geary, derryjournal.com
