The Good Pig Award 2017 was awarded to the farm for meeting welfare criteria for both sows and meat pigs, including no confinement during lactation or the dry period, no tail docking, teeth clipping or surgical castration, and for the provision of manipulable material and bedding throughout life.

Andarl Farm is only the second Irish producer in history to receive the award.

Dave and Diana Milestone began in 2012 with a vision to achieve a high standard of husbandry and pork production that would set a quality standard for free-range pig farmers in Ireland.

“For the last two years, we have produced a very high standard of meat and product consistency in alignment with these guidelines and achieved a totally different production method from run-of-the-mill pork.

“Our story proves a sustainable business can be built on higher welfare farming and recognition of our work through the Good Pig Award helps bring us a step closer to working with other free-range pig producers and setting a workable national standard,” the couple said.

Providing a good quality of life

Commenting on the win, Tracey Jones, director of food business at Compassion in World Farming, said: “Providing farm animals with a good quality of life is essential and something that can be achieved by companies of all sizes.

‘‘We congratulate Andarl Farm on their Good Pig Award and hope other like-minded companies follow their lead.”

La Rousse Foods works closely with Andarl Farm to distribute its signature Velvet Pork and bacon products to hotels and restaurants in Ireland, including Ashford Castle and Belleek Castle.

Colum Lanigan Ryan, food director at LaRousse Foods, said: “Great chefs need access to great producers, and great products can only be produced with meticulous attention to detail from start to finish.

‘‘We recognised that both Dave and Diana at Andarl Farm have this in abundance resulting in an end product that La Rousse Foods is proud to supply to any discerning chef.”

Andarl Farm is also featured for the second year running in the 2017 McKenna’s Guide and was awarded the prestigious Euro-toques EirGrid Food Award in 2016 in recognition of excellent quality standards, traditional artisan production methods and an outstanding contribution to Irish food.

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