Minister publishes Final Report of the Food Vision Tillage Group
- Published on: 14 May 2024
- Last updated on: 23 September 2024
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue today announced the publication of the Final Report of the Food Vision Tillage Group. The Food Vision Tillage Group was established by Minister McConalogue in May 2023 under the chairmanship of Mr. Matt Dempsey to set out a roadmap for the growth and development of the sector between now and 2030.
Speaking after bringing the Tillage Group Report to Cabinet today, Minister McConalogue said:
“I welcome the Final Report of the Food Vision Tillage Group. It is a very detailed and comprehensive report and identifies opportunities that will improve the efficiency and long-term competitiveness of the sector along with actions that will allow the sector to further improve its environmental footprint.”
The Report lists twenty-eight actions that address a number of key objectives including increasing the area under tillage crops to 400,000 hectares, adding value to tillage crop output, improving the efficiency and competitiveness of the sector, improving the environmental footprint of the sector, developing greater linkages and enhanced cooperation with the livestock sector and exploiting opportunities in renewable energy and organic tillage.
The Group was chaired by Matt Dempsey and included representatives from farming organisations, tillage industry stakeholders, state agencies, UCD and department officials. The Group met on twelve occasions.
Minister McConalogue added:
“I would like to thank the members of the Group for their work in compiling the report over the last twelve months. I would particularly like to thank Matt Dempsey for his skilful chairmanship of the Group and for bringing its work to a successful conclusion.”
The Minister has tasked his officials with putting a plan in place to oversee the implementation of the strategy.
The Minister concluded:
“A vibrant and sustainable tillage sector is hugely important in increasing our food and feed security while also contributing to our climate change objectives. I am very aware of the challenges faced by tillage growers this year, and in response I announced last month my commitment to seek a €100 per hectare payment for field crops planted for this year’s harvest. I am committed to the sector and its importance within the wider agricultural industry, and I want to put the sector on a firm footing into the future.”