Recognising excellence and rewarding achievements in the dairy sector
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IDF awards
Every year, dairy champions are honoured for their leadership, dedication, and commitment to the sector. Whether it’s being creative, offering high-level strategic and technical advice, or helping the IDF to communicate more effectively with the wider dairy sector, each of these winners has played a key role in ensuring the interests of the industry remain centre stage. Their commitment to the global sector is resolute and is deeply appreciated.
IDF Dairy Innovation Awards
The IDF Dairy Innovation Awards is designed to encourage and celebrate innovative practices across the dairy sector
About the award
Dairy actors around the world have been actively engaged over the years in improving the farming and processing of milk and dairy foods. The IDF Dairy Innovation Awards are designed to encourage and celebrate innovative practices across the dairy sector and their contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Winners are announced at an awards ceremony at the IDF World Dairy Summit. Entry is open to IDF members as well as non-member individuals, including dairy farmers, dairy cooperatives, dairy processors and dairy research operators, as well service and equipment companies for the dairy sector.
All the winners of the IDF Dairy Innovation Awards 2025
1. Sustainable farming practices
1a Innovation in environmental sustainability in farming
Conaprole – Tambo Sustentable Programme (UY) – A cooperative-wide program integrating climate adaptation, water and energy efficiency, animal welfare, and carbon footprint reduction.
1b Innovation in animal care in farming
Bharat Financial Inclusion Limited and IndusInd Bank– (IN) – A tech-enabled veterinary model with AI diagnostics and mobile tools, improving livestock health and productivity for smallholder farmers.
1c Innovation in socio-economic sustainability in farming
Nitara – (IN) – An AI-enabled mobile platform for smallholder farmers, offering tools for dairy management, virtual advisors, and offline access.
2. Sustainable processing innovation
Soprole – Waste Reduction Project (CL) – A mechanical extrusion system separating organic content from packaging, reducing landfill waste and CO₂ emissions.
3. New product innovation
3a Innovation in dairy products for human nutrition
Xinhuo – Bone Energy Formula Milk Powder (CN) – Targets bone, joint, and muscle health with a blend of proteins, calcium, vitamins, and botanical extracts.
3b Innovation in food safety equipment
Hygiena foodproof® Salmonella plus Cronobacter Detection LyoKit(DE) – A rapid PCR assay detecting both pathogens in under 24 hours, with a freeze-dried format for sustainability.3c Innovation in packaging and transparency for dairy products
3c Innovation in packaging and transparency for dairy products
Yili Ambrosial – ‘For a Bluer Ocean’ Packaging (CN) – Features de-inkable labels and recyclable PET bottles, enhancing sustainability and product protection.
4. People and planet in the dairy sector
4a Innovation in inclusion and women’s empowerment in dairy
Nestlé Moça – Força da Moça® do Campo (CH) – Empowers female farmers through training, mentorship, and entrepreneurship programmes.
4b Innovation in climate action in the dairy sector
Environmental Defense Fund – Dairy Methane Action Alliance (US) – A global initiative to reduce methane emissions, supported by major food and dairy companies.
4c Innovation in marketing and communication for sustainable dairy
FrieslandCampina – SEANUTS II Survey (NL) – A research-based campaign addressing child malnutrition and guiding product and policy development.
IDF Professor Pavel Jelen Early Career Scientist Prize
The award has been named in honor of Professor Pavel (Paul) Jelen
About the award
The International Dairy Federation (IDF) is proud to present the IDF Professor Pavel Jelen Early Career Scientist Prize – an award created to recognize the achievements of early-career scientists and technologists in the field of dairy science and technology.
Named in honour of Professor Pavel (Paul) Jelen, a Czech-born scientist who built his academic career in Canada and the United States, the prize celebrates his legacy of research excellence, mentorship, and commitment to effective scientific communication.
This award offers recipients the opportunity to showcase their work at the annual IDF World Dairy Summit (WDS), gain valuable exposure, and benefit from educational and professional development opportunities. It also provides insight into the operations of IDF and fosters connections within the global dairy community.
All past recipients of the IDF Professor Pavel Jelen Early Career Scientist Prize
2025 – Zheng Zhao – First prize
2024 – Maria Frizzarin – First prize
2023 – Davor Daniloski – First prize
2022 – Dr Angela Costa – First prize
IDF Award
The prestigious IDF Award is given in recognition of remarkable contributions to global dairy.
First presented in 1998, the IDF Award recognizes remarkable contributions to progress in dairying worldwide. It is awarded on the basis of submissions by IDF members, the IDF National Committees.
About the award
By granting the Award, the IDF wishes to pay tribute to extensive contribution to dairy science, adding to the scientific knowledge about the benefits of dairy foods.
All past recipients of the IDF Award
–Professor Jeremy Hill (NZ) & Mr. Allen R. Sayler (US)
–Geoffrey (Geoff) Smithers
–Dr Andrew Novakovic (US)
–Dr Aleksander Surazynski (PL), Professor Judith Ann Narvhus (NO)
–No recipient
–No recipient
–Helen Dornom (AU)
–Jean-François Boudier (FR)
–Dr. Robin Condron (AU)
–Pavel Jelen (CA), Phil Kelly (IE) and Kevin Marshall (NZ)
–No recipient
–Mohamed El-Hossieny Abd El-Salam (EG)
–Roger Abrahamsen (NO)
–George Davey (AU)
–Suk-Jin Cho (KR)
–Manuela Juárez (ES)
–Walther Heeschen (DE)
–Ylva Ardö (SE)
–Peter Parodi (AU)
–Shuichi Kaminogawa (JP)
–Donald Muir (GB)
–Lawrence Kenneth Creamer (NZ) and Pierpaolo Resmini (IT)
–Pieter Walstra (NL)
–Patrick F. Fox (IE)
–Robert R. Sellars (US) and Zdenko Puhan (CH)
–Douglas B. Emmons (CA)
–Ernest J. Mann (GB)
–Jean-Louis Maubois (FR)
IDF Prize of Excellence
The IDF Prize of Excellence is given in recognition of an outstanding recent contribution to the Work Programme of IDF.
The Prize honours 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 development of IDF.
These concepts are:
Speed
Worldwide visibility
Impact
Focus
Transparency
These ensure that the organization continues to deliver timely outcomes that meet expectations and the changing needs of IDF membership.
In 2020, the IDF Prize of Excellence was awarded to IDF SCFA Action Team on Alignment of food additives between Codex dairy standards and the Codex General Standard for Food Additives Keith Johnston, members Michael Hickey, Christian Kastrup, Jackie Crichton, Nick Gardner, Yoshinori Komatsu, Allen Sayler, Aurelie Dubois, Osamu Suganuma, Clement Benoist and Peter Wolfs.
Winners of the IDF Prize of Excellence to date
–DF Action Team on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Comprising of 60 world-class experts from 22 countries and jointly led by Andrew Fletcher (NZ) and Anna Flysjӧ (DK), with past leadership from Sanne Dekker (NL)
–Dr. Choreh Farrokh
–Stephan Peters (NL)
–Meenesh Shah (India)
–Nicholas Gardner (USA)
–Erica Hocking (UK)
–Keith Johnston (NZ), Michael Hickey (IE) , Christian Kastrup (DK), Jackie Crichton (CA), Nick Gardner (US), Yoshinori Komatsu (JP), Allen Sayler (US), Aurelie Dubois (IDF staff), Osamu Suganuma (JP), Clement Benoist (FR) and Peter Wolfs (NL)
–Cary Frye (US)
–Jaap Evers (NZ)
–Keith Johnston (NZ)
–Sandra Casani (DK)
–Jointly Michel Hickey (IE) and Claus Heggum (DK)
–PG-AMC-C13 – Milk and milk products– Determination of nitrogen content – Part 1: Kjeldahl principle and crude protein calculation. Dr. Dave Barbano (US), Richard Johnson (NZ), Dr. Silvia Orlandini (IT)
–George Psathas (CY), Juan Romero (US) and Odd Rønningen (NO)
Yves Boutonnat International Milk Promotion Trophy
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.
Entries by marketing experts that are members of the IMP (International Milk Promotion) group are submitted to the IMP Group mid-year meeting where they are subject to peer-review, analysis and judging. The top 3 are selected to present their campaign and the winner is elected by secret ballot. The winner is considered the best in promoting the nutritional benefits and the healthy image and lifestyle of dairy foods.
Previous winners of the IMP Yves Boutonnat Award
–Denmark: Think Dairy
–Dairy Farmers of Canada: Dairy Farmers of Canada
–Dairy Australia: “Our Dairy Promise”
–United States of America: (USA) “Reset yourself with Dairy”
–CNIEL France: #Fromagissons initiative
–UK Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB): “The department of dairy-related scrumptious affairs”. The award is a means of showcasing the best generic advertising campaigns.
–The European Milk Forum (EMF): ‘Milk Moments’ campaign.
–Norwegian Dairy Council: One nutrient, hundred communication possibilities
–Ireland: Promoting dairy for teenage healthy living
–South Africa: Consumer Education Program of Milk SA
–Dairy Australia: Changing our image – it is what we make it”
–United States of America: Refuel with Chocolate Milk to Win the Race for Milk Sales
–Norwegian Dairy Council: ‘No mornings without breakfast – no breakfast without milk’
–Dairy Management Inc.: DMI (US) for the ‘Would You Like Milk With That?’ campaign
