IDF Award, IDF Prize of Excellence, Standing Committee Leader Recognition and Yves Boutonnat International Milk Promotion Trophy, the most important acknowledgements that the International Dairy Federation gives for outstanding contributions to Dairy Science and promotion, were delivered tonight at a ceremony celebrated during the Gala Dinner of the IDF World Dairy Summit 2022 in Delhi India.

IDF Award

The IDF Award is a prestigious prize granted to persons having made a significant contribution to dairy on a global level. This year, the Award is being attributed after two years and the IDF Award Committee has decided to hand out two IDF Awards in 2022.

The first winner of the IDF Award is Professor Judith Ann Narvhus, from Norway. Professor Judith Narvhus has special expertise in fermented dairy products, and in particular, her research has been focused on microbial metabolism in dairy products. She has led several national research and development projects on traditional fermented products and has made a remarkable contribution both to the national and international dairy fields.

One of her greatest achievements is first and foremost long engagement to develop the academic level of dairy science and technology on the African continent. She has taken up the task of developing dairy science in many African countries (Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Malawi), many of these emphasizing women in dairying. The rationale behind this work has been that building up and strengthening university institutions and research in developing countries within food and dairy science will contribute to the development of intellectual resources within these institutions, increase the competent workforce, contribute to developing visionary leaders, increase gender equity, and that will enhance sustainable economic, social and environmental development in the food and dairy sector of these countries.

The second winner of the IDF Award chosen by the IDF Award Committee was Dr Aleksander Surazynski. Dr Surazynski is an internationally known expert who has been through FAO in service in various parts of world including Chile, Colombia, India and Swaziland. His work and expertise have resulted in numerous publications and 21 patents.

He has a PhD in Technical Sciences (Food and Dairy Technology) from Agriculture University in Poznan and his main fields of study are Dairy Chemistry, Dairy Microbiology and Dairy Technology. He was President and Vice President of the Polish National Committee of the International Dairy Federation and a prominent member of IDF SCDST, SCDPE, SCM, and SCSIL. Since 2009, he is a Member of the Scientific Board of the Dairy Industry Innovation Institute.

IDF Prize of Excellence

The IDF Prize of Excellence is given as a mark of recognition and appreciation for an outstanding piece of work carried out by an individual or group of individuals, who contribute as volunteers from among the grassroots of IDF, to the IDF Programme of Work in accordance with IDF’s purpose and following the five key concepts constituting “SWIFT” as a driver for the further development of IDF. These concepts are Speed, Worldwide visibility, Impact, Focus, and Transparency.

This year’s recipient was Mr Nicholas Gardner from the US. Mr Gardner has had a long career working on international food standards and more specifically on issues of strong interest to the international dairy industry. His leadership and engagement are well recognized within the IDF community. In addition to his significant involvement with Codex work, he has been the Deputy Chair of the IDF Standing Committee on Standard of Identity and Labelling since 2020 and also leads IDF’s new work item (NWI) within the SCSIL’s Action Team on Environmental Labelling.

The Standing Committee Leader Recognition highlights exemplary achievements among the committees’ leadership and rewards exceptionally good handling of the SC/TF processes: keeping the SC/TF focused and productive, providing constructive and high-quality contributions, and working well together with IDF staff. As the latter criterion is only observable to the IDF staff, they review the nominations made by SC/TF members and IDF staff and decide on awarding the Recognition.

Standing Committee Leader Recognition

This year the SC Leader Recognition was awarded to Yvette Soustre, France, and Karin Kraehenbuehl, Switzerland. Yvette Soustre, nutrition manager at CNIEL, France is a true believer in dairy and its nutritional power. She received this award for her dedication to IDF as she just finished serving as co-chair of the Task Force on dairy and ultra-processed foods, and previously as an SPCC nutrition member as well as chair if the Standing Committee on Nutrition and Health.

As an active member of the IDF, she ensured her dairy colleagues were kept on point with her sharp remarks and kept science-based always on top of mind. Always at hand to help staff with a diverse request, her thorough knowledge of nutrition and health has been a key reference.

Karin Kraehenbuehl is working with Nestlé, Switzerland. She is a long-time IDF expert and dairy, safety specialist. She chaired two IDF Standing Committees, the SC on Analytical Methods for Additives and Contaminants, and just completed a second term as chair of the SC on Residues and Chemical Contaminants. She reactivated the SCRCC and allowed, with other IDF experts, the launch of the initiative about the knowledge platform on contaminants, being a key contributor as well.

She receives this award for his outstanding leadership of a key committee that covers safety topics relevant for dairy. She has kept on motivating the committee by maintaining active SC and AT meetings. She has kept in touch with Action Team leaders and staff, balanced the various input and used her broad expertise to ensure the progress of the work.

IMP Trophy Competition

The annual IMP Trophy competition was initiated in 1989 by the IMP Group. IMP is a permanent action team of the IDF Standing Committee on Marketing, it is a means of showcasing, to dairy farming and industry delegates attending the annual IDF World Dairy Summit, the best generic advertising campaigns created recently amongst the group in the key areas of innovation, nutri-marketing, and marketing communication. In honour of one of their founding members, Yves Boutonnat, it is now called the Yves Boutonnat International Milk Promotion Trophy. The IMP Trophy this year went to the US for the campaign “Reset yourself with Dairy”.