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Minister Creed announces Stakeholder Committee to develop Ireland’s Agri-Food Strategy to 2030 and opens first meeting

20191128 Creed

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed TD today opened the first meeting of the Stakeholder Committee that will develop the Agri-Food strategy to 2030, and announced the composition of the Committee.

Minister Creed commented

Since their inception 20 years ago, up to the current Food Wise 2025 plan, a rolling series of ten year strategies have ensured that we have a coherent, stakeholder-led vision to underpin the development of the sector. The success of these strategies is evidenced by a 73% growth in agri-food exports since 2009. While the sector faces challenges, great opportunities exist. I am sure that environmental sustainability, including climate, biodiversity and water, will be a key issue to be considered by the Committee. Equally, expanding our footprint globally; innovation; and competitiveness will be priorities for the industry. Primary producers are an essential part of the economic and social fabric of Ireland; it remains a priority for us all to enable them to produce food in an environmentally  sustainable and economically viable way.

In relation to the composition of the Committee, Minister Creed said,

The agri-food sector encompasses many different elements and in appointing members, I was cognisant of the need to ensure a good representation of these various parts of the sector and I am delighted that so many distinguished individuals accepted my invitation to participate in this Committee.

For his part, the Chair of the Committee, Mr Tom Arnold, said,

Given the critically important role that the agri-food sector plays in the Irish economy, Irish society and perhaps most importantly of all, in a supply of safe, nutritious and sustainable food, I am honoured to accept the invitation of Minister Creed to Chair the Committee charged with preparing its strategic direction into the next decade. The development of the Agri-Food Strategy to 2030 will provide the opportunity to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the sector, the threats and opportunities facing it, and to specify appropriate development pathways. I look forward to working with the Committee in a spirit of constructive collaboration.

 

Note to Editors

The composition of the Stakeholder Committee is as follows:

Tom Arnold

Chairperson

Sharon Buckley

Group Commercial Director, Musgraves

Laura Burke

Director General, EPA

Ailish Byrne

Head of Agri, Ulster Bank

Kieran Calnan

Chair, Bord Iascaigh Mhara

Philip Carroll

Chair, IBEC Meat Industry Ireland

Frank Convery

Senior Partner, EnvEcon

Thomas Duffy

President, Macra na Feirme

Brendan Dunford

Manager, Burren Programme

Julie Ennis

Country President, Sodexo Ireland

Paul Finnerty

Co-Founder & Chairman, Yield Lab Europe

Joe Healy

President, IFA

Thia Hennessy

Dean & Chair Agri-Economics, UCC

Liam Herlihy

Chair, Teagasc

Caroline Keeling

CEO, Keelings

Jerry Long

President, ICOS

Oliver Loomes

Chair, IBEC Drinks Ireland and Ireland Director & Chairman, Diageo

Dan McSweeney

Chair, Bord Bia

Pat McCormack

President, ICMSA

Tom Moran

Former Secretary General, DAFM

Brian Murphy

Chair, IBEC Forest Industries Ireland and CEO, Balcas

Pat Murphy

Chair, IBEC Dairy industry Ireland and CEO, Kerry Ireland

Larry Murrin

IBEC Prepared Consumer Foods Council and CEO, Dawn Farm Foods

Colm O'Donnell

President, INHFA

Sean O'Donoghue

CEO, Killybegs Fishermen’s Organisation

Dolores O'Riordan

Director, UCD Institute for Food and Health

Terence O'Rourke

Chair, Enterprise Ireland

Edmond Phelan

President, ICSA

Alice Stanton

Professor, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland

Siobhán Talbot

CEO, Glanbia


The names of two further members representing environmental and food safety perspectives will be confirmed as soon as possible.

Missing from today’s photography are the following members;

Joe Healy

Liam Herlihy

Oliver Loomes

Dan McSweeney

Pat Murphy

Brian Murphy

Sean O’Donoghue

Terence O’Rourke