Minister Heydon welcomes EU Commission co-funding decision
- Published on: 5 August 2025
- Last updated on: 5 August 2025
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, has welcomed the EU Commission award, from the Commission’s reserve list, of co-funding of €3.46 million towards the new Bord Bia information and promotional Sustainable European Beef and Lamb – Trusted Tradition, Technical Excellence campaign. The campaign, due to commence in late 2025, will see funding of €2.77 million coming from the EU and €0.69 million from Bord Bia.
This co-funded campaign will promote sustainable European beef and lamb over the next three years in China, Japan and Singapore. The objectives of the programme are to develop increased awareness of the high safety and quality standards of EU beef and lamb as well as their attributes as natural, nutritional and sustainable products. The campaign will highlight the specific features of beef and lamb production methods within the EU and the programmes at farm and processing levels which verify the sustainability and quality attributes of EU beef and lamb consistent with EU policy imperatives.
Welcoming the Commission decision, Minister Heydon said:
“I am delighted to see the EU recognition and financial support for this Bord Bia programme on sustainable EU beef and lamb. This campaign will provide the marketing edge for EU beef and lamb exports to capitalise on the significant market opportunities in China, Japan and Singapore and ultimately expand EU share in these important markets. The programme will also reinforce Europe’s ambition to be the global reference for sustainable food production and sustainable nutrition. This ambition is also reflected in Ireland’s own stakeholder led strategy for the sustainable development of the agri-food sector, Food Vision 2030.”
Minister of State Noel Grealish commented:
“As Minister of State with responsibility for Food Promotion and New Markets I welcome the co-funding for this promotion programme. The programme gives Bord Bia the opportunity to continue the promotion, development and growth of EU beef and lamb in these key regions. With current market uncertainty, the importance of on-going market diversification into these key markets cannot be understated. Growing the presence of EU beef and lamb in China, Japan and Singapore will benefit the sector and this targeted campaign will help develop that growth, while also promoting the nutritional value and sustainability of EU beef and lamb.”
Jim O’Toole, Bord Bia Chief Executive said:
"Promotional campaigns that have EU support give EU producers and processors immediate access to some of the top meat buyers in China, Japan and Singapore. EU co-funded campaigns help Bord Bia to showcase quality products to buyers in these priority markets, develop new relationships between exporters and local importers and distributors while also strengthening the business relationships exporters have already developed with stakeholders in these countries.”