25 October 2021

The King presents gold medals to dairy farmers

On Monday 25 October, The King and Queen took part in the presentation of the Federation of Swedish Farmers' gold medals and the Dairy Farmer of the Year award to Swedish dairy farmers. The ceremony took place in the Bernadotte Library at the Royal Palace of Stockholm.

The King presents the Dairy Farmer of the Year 2021 award to Katarina and Anders Nilsson from Skråmered Våxtorp in Halland County.

The King presents the Dairy Farmer of the Year 2021 award to Katarina and Anders Nilsson from Skråmered Våxtorp in Halland County. Photo: Pelle T Nilsson/SPA

In 1958, King Gustav VI Adolf first presented the Federation's gold medals to dairy farmers whose milk was of exceptional quality. The presentation of gold medals has been a royal tradition ever since, and on this occasion The King awarded medals to 23 dairy farmers from across Sweden.

The ceremony began with The King welcoming all those present. In his speech, The King said:

Dear dairy farmers! Developments are constantly taking place within farming. So much has happened just in the time that you have been in business.

"But some things do not change. You are just as important to our country as your predecessors were when my grandfather presented the first gold medals 63 years ago.

HM The King

The King also presented the Dairy Farmer of the Year 2021 award to Katarina and Anders Nilsson from Skråmered Våxtorp in Halland County.

The King gave a speech during the ceremony, which took place in the Bernadotte Library at the Royal Palace.

The King gave a speech during the ceremony, which took place in the Bernadotte Library at the Royal Palace. Photo: Pelle T Nilsson/SPA

After the medal presentation, Chairman of the Federation of Swedish Farmers Palle Borgström and Director-General of the Swedish Board of Agriculture also gave speeches.

Musical entertainment was provided by Court Singer Elin Rombo and Court Organist Mary Ljungquist Hén.

Dairy farmers receive awards in the form of diplomas, plaques and finally a gold medal.

Dairy farmers receive awards in the form of diplomas, plaques and finally a gold medal. Photo: Pelle T Nilsson/SPA

LRF Dairy Sweden's Gold Medal

This year, the medal was presented to 23 dairy farmers from across Sweden. The medal is the highest award presented by the dairy associations "for proficiency and a sense of responsibility" in connection with milk quality.

In order to qualify for the Gold Medal, recipients must have succeeded in delivering first-class milk from healthy cows for a period of at least 23 years. In practical terms, this means 16,800 milkings and approximately 1,500 samples being taken at the farm.

The first medals were presented in 1958 by King Gustaf VI Adolf.

The Dairy Farmer of the Year award was established in 2012, and is presented to a dairy entrepreneur who has developed his or her business, acted as a role model for other dairy farmers and thereby contributed towards the development of the dairy sector.

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