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Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney today launched a National Sustainability and Quality Scheme for the dairy sector.

Speaking at an event hosted by Bord Bia, and attended by dairy sector leaders, Minister Coveney welcomed the foresight of stakeholders who had embraced the new National Scheme, which he said would build on the already formidable reputation of the Irish dairy sector in international markets, by capitalising on Ireland’s reputation for green, carbon efficient, high quality dairy production:

The development of a National Sustainable Dairy Assurance Scheme has been in progress for some time. I am delighted that the efforts of all of the stakeholders in the sector have come to fruition today. Farm and other representative bodies, the dairy co-op movement, Bord Bia and the Irish Dairy Board have, through this initiative, made a significant contribution to the development of the dairy sector. This programme will position Ireland as a global benchmark for high quality and sustainable dairy production.

The Minister also said that this initiative was absolutely consistent with the policy approach and ambition outlined in the Food Harvest 2020 Report.

The programme provides a uniform and internationally recognised mechanism of recording and monitoring the sustainability of Irish dairying at farm level and is the first national dairy scheme of its type anywhere in the world.