Our History

Formerly known as the National Dairy Publicity Council, the National Dairy Council (NDC) was established by the Minister of Agriculture in 1964, as a semi-state body to promote and support the consumption of milk and dairy products.

The Council changed from a semi-state body to a private farmer funded organisation in 1973 subsequent to Ireland joining the EEC. In 1978, the European Commission introduced a financial support programme to assist the undertaking of national promotional campaigns in an effort to increase dairy consumption and thereby reduce the problem of disposing of surplus milk production within the EEC.

The popularity of Irish dairy produce has been steadily promoted by a range of successful marketing and promotional programmes over the years. The NDC has been behind many well-known campaigns from “Butter is the Cream” to the famous TV ad of “Dem Bones, Dem Bones Need Calcium” and has played a significant role in communicating the benefits of dairy produce to the Irish consumer.

The NDC’s role in promoting the dairy category has evolved and grown to meet the ever changing modern consumer and its demands.