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Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed T.D. announced today that he would convene a roundtable meeting of Tillage sector stakeholders to evaluate the sector in the light of current challenges and to address emerging opportunities. The roundtable meeting will also explore options for the future development of the broader industry.
Speaking today at the National Ploughing Championships, in Screggan, Tullamore, Co. Offaly, Minister Creed outlined, ‘I consider that a vibrant and viable tillage sector is essential to Irish agriculture. It provides a high quality, traceable source of native feedstuffs for the livestock sector, as well as high quality assured grain to meet the demands of a rapidly growing brewing and distilling industry’.
The Government’s commitment to the sector, both at farm and processing level is fully reflected in the Food Wise 2025 blueprint for the industry, particularly with regard to opportunities to increase the focus on adding value to what is a quality product.
In making the announcement, the Minister emphasised that as well as the challenges posed by current weather and price related difficulties for growers, significant changes will take place in the international trading environment in the coming months and years.

The Minister added, ‘To ensure that the industry can continue to grow and fulfill its potential, it is timely that all concerned come together now to chart a way forward for the sector”,
Minister Creed said that in this changing landscape we need to take a fresh look at our tillage industry and to ensure that it is best positioned to withstand possible threats and to avail of new opportunities which may present themselves.
The roundtable meeting will take place on 6 October, it will be chaired by Minister Creed and will include representatives of growers, compounders, food and drinks industry, suppliers of inputs, relevant State agencies and other stakeholders.