NLIS 7
April 11, 2000
(Forest Resources and Agrifoods)

Westvale Farm wins 1999 Daphne Taylor Milk Quality Award of Excellence

I would like to take this opportunity to inform the House, that at the recent annual general meeting for the Dairy Farmers of Newfoundland and Labrador, held in Corner Brook on March 30-31, the third annual Daphne Taylor Milk Quality Award of Excellence was presented to Westvale Farm of the Goulds.

The award was named after Ms. Daphne Taylor, a dairy farmer from Cormack who died prematurely in 1996. The Daphne Taylor Milk Quality Award of Excellence program was established in her memory. The program is supported through the joint efforts and financial contributions of this government as well as dairy producers and processors. A key objective of the program is to recognize excellence in the production of milk from our province�s dairy farms.

Westvale Farm is owned and operated by Allan Ruby and family. The Ruby�s have operated a farm on their present location since 1860 and in fact are still working out of the original barn as well as a second one constructed in 1931. They originally ran a mixed farming operation but changed over to a full time dairy in 1923, first selling to the Newfoundland Butter Company (later known as Newfoundland Margarine) and then to Sunshine Dairies.

Allan Ruby and his son, Sean, have won many awards in recent years including being members of Purina�s 1,000 pound club in 1994, 1996, 1998 and again in 1999. This award is given to farmers who increase average milk production per cow by at least 1,000 pounds in one year.

I would also like to acknowledge the other winners of this year�s Daphne Taylor Milk Quality Award of Excellence. These include 2^nd place winner, Harcourt Farm of Musgravetown and Aiden Williams of the Goulds who placed 3^rd.

It is a result of the combined efforts of these farmers along with others throughout the province that the dairy industry in this province has been able to achieve significant levels of growth in recent years. I commend the dairy industry of this province on their commitment to quality and dedication to advancing their industry.

In closing, I would like to reinforce government�s commitment to supporting the growth in our province�s agrifoods industry.

2000 04 11                                             5:05 p.m.