Press release
Minister McConalogue announces Food Vision Dairy Group
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Published on
Last updated on
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue TD today (28th January 2022) met with key stakeholders from the dairy sector to discuss the challenging targets for the agriculture and land use sector under the Climate Action Plan.
Minister McConalogue announced that in line with a priority action in the Food Vision 2030 strategy, he was setting up a Food Vision Dairy Group, whose first task will be to “produce a detailed plan by Q2 2022 to manage the sustainable environmental footprint of the dairy sector”.
Minister McConalogue commented:
“A key priority for the Food Vision Dairy Group is ensuring that we continue to provide a platform of sustainability for our farmers and our sector. This is economic, environmental and societal sustainability. The new Group will be chaired by Professor Gerry Boyle and will include representatives from the farming organisations, the dairy industry, my Department and relevant agencies. I’m delighted that someone of Professor Boyle’s stature will lead this really important body of work.”
Minister McConalogue assured stakeholders that he was confident that
“Working together we can stabilise and then reduce emissions from the dairy sector, positioning Ireland as a world leader in sustainable food systems, meeting our climate targets, and ensuring that the market delivers a reward for our quality, sustainably produced food, particularly for our farmers as the bedrock of the sector.”
“We want to ensure that we continue to have a sector that is vibrant and attractive to new entrants. We have to think about how we ensure that there is space for generational renewal and new entrants to the sector, or for those with marginal enterprises to improve viability, and space to encourage innovation and value addition."
“I am confident that working together we can stabilise and then reduce emissions from the dairy sector, positioning Ireland as a world leader in sustainable food systems, meeting our climate targets, and ensuring that the market delivers a reward for our quality, sustainably produced food, particularly for our farmers, and their families who are the bedrock of the sector.”
The Minister stressed that an essential first step is to develop and implement this Plan to stabilise and then reduce emissions associated with the dairy sector. That will give sufficient headroom for the measures in the Climate Action Plan, and the supports for farmers in the draft CAP Strategic Plan, to work effectively.
The first meeting of the Food Vision Dairy Group will take place in early February.