The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney, TD, today announced grant awards of approximately €32 million for research projects being undertaken, on a collaborative basis, by researchers from institutions across the island of Ireland.
The awards cover a broad range of research activities relating to sustainable food production and processing as well as forestry. Many of the projects funded are applied and pre-commercial in nature while there is also a heavy emphasis on research involving the modern biosciences. Meat related research features prominently which, when taken with additional investment in dairy research, ensures that the two main parts of the sector continue to be supported to the maximum extent possible.
In general these awards will help maintain research capacity and capability in the Irish public research system that contributes to underpinning the sustainability and competitiveness of the Irish agri-food and forest sector by providing trained expertise; new innovative techniques and technologies to improve farming and manufacturing practices; novel formulations with potential for future commercialisation of new products; as well as robust scientific evidence for policy development.
The Minister reiterated his commitment to targeted research and innovation within the agri-food sector by stating “Publicly funded research will continue to play a key role in driving innovation within the bio-economy thus contributing to the growth targets outlined in the Food Harvest 2020 and ultimately making a positive contribution to the Government’s Action Plan for Jobs’.
The Minister pointed out that “the research funded will address many of the opportunities and challenges identified in ‘Food Research Ireland’ and ‘Stimulating Sustainable Agricultural Production through Research & Innovation (SSAPRI)’, which in turn are very well aligned with the priority areas identified in the National Research Prioritisation Exercise and I applaud all stakeholders, including industry, for their continuing engagement in the process.”
Many of the projects funded involve a farm to fork approach. The Minister welcomed this by saying “I am particularly pleased to see the integrated nature of the research projects being funded as this will play a crucial role in driving innovation in the sector. For example, the project that will look at how animal breeding will impact on meat quality is particularly interesting and innovative.
The Minister added ‘I am also pleased to see that the issue of sustainability being addressed, at various levels, within many of these research projects. This is entirely consistent with the Think Green, Act Smart, Achieve Growth principles of Food Harvest 2020 as it will help provide a solid verifiable basis to underpin claims about the green credentials of Irish food which will be a major selling point on export markets in the coming years .”
The Minister concluded by acknowledging the contribution of industry, with many companies making in-kind contributions through the provision of infrastructure and key industry personnel to projects. He stated “the on-going participation of stakeholders, especially industry, in this research as it unfolds is crucial to ensure that it remains relevant to end users needs”.
Full details of these awards are set out in Appendix 1.
Notes for editor:
1. The awards arise from a Call for Proposals launched in late 2011 under the three competitive, research funding programmes operated by the Department, namely, the Food Institutional Research Measure (FIRM), the Research Stimulus Fund (RSF), and the Programme of Competitive Forest Research for Development (CoFoRD).
2. Food Institutional Research Measure (FIRM) has been in operation since 2000, and is the main programme for funding food research in research performing organisations in Ireland including Teagasc and the Higher Education Institutes (HEI) thereby contributing to building and maintaining a research capability that helps underpin a vibrant, competitive and innovative food manufacturing industry.
3. Research Stimulus Fund (RSF) aims to facilitate research that fills gaps in the mainstream Teagasc programme, supports sustainable and competitive agricultural production practices and policies, and contributes to building and maintaining a knowledge economy and research capability in the agriculture sector.
4. Programme of Competitive Forestry Research for Development (CoFoRD) aims to develop a scientific foundation and support for a sustainable, competitive, market orientated and innovative forest industry.
5. Food Research Ireland is the strategic research agenda that guides all public funding of food research in Ireland. It was drawn up by an industry-led Food Research Expert Advisory Group and was published in December 2011 following agreement with all relevant stakeholders. It is also very closely aligned with a number of priority areas identified in the National Research Prioritisation Exercise in particular ‘Sustainable Food Production and Processing’ and ‘Food for Health’.
6. Stimulating Sustainable Agricultural Production through Research & Innovation (SSAPRI) is the strategic research agenda that guides all public funding of agricultural research in Ireland. It was drawn up by an industry-led Agriculture Research Expert Advisory Group and was published in December 2011 following agreement with all relevant stakeholders. It is also very closely aligned with a number of priority areas identified in the National Research Prioritisation Exercise in particular ‘Sustainable Food Production and Processing’.
Appendix 1- Details of projects funded under Call 2011
No. Project Title Principal Investigator Institutions Funded Award Amount €
1 Formulation and Design for Food Structure and Stability Prof Yrjo H. Roos UCC, Teagasc 649,600
2 Translating fundamental research on Listeria monocytogenes for the benefit of multi-sectoral ready-to-eat food industry Dr Kieran Jordan Teagasc, UCC, UL, NUIG, UCD, CIT 1,279,761
3 Smart packaging systems containing novel optochemical O₂ and CO₂ sensors for the food industry Prof Dimitri Papkovsky UCC, QUB 444,493
4 Irish meat & eggs: their fundamental role in promoting vitamin D nutrition and contribution to health & wellbeing Prof Kevin Cashman UCC, UCD 484,562
5 Novel prebiotics from plant-derived sugars using bifidobacterial enzymes Dr Douwe van Sinderen UCC, Teagasc 234,250
6 Development of consumer accepted low salt & low fat Irish traditional processed meats Dr Joe P Kerry UCC, Teagasc 499,721
7 Delivering processed meat products with health benefits Prof Frank Monahan UCD, Teagasc, UCC 598,950
8 Decoupling pH & Ionic Effect in Protein Super-Concentrates Dr Andre Brodkorb Teagasc, NUIM, TCD 401,700
9 Manufacture, application & assessment of smart packaging concepts consisting of novel nanoparticle technologies (metal & non-metal based) in conventional food packaging systems Dr Joe P Kerry UCC, UCD 499,978
10 Translation of pharmaceutical drug delivery to nutraceutical delivery using invitro & in vivo techniques Dr Jesus Frias DIT, UCD 477,815
11 Exploration of Irish meat processing streams for recovery of high value protein based ingredients for food & non food uses Dr Anne Maria Mullen Teagasc, UCC, UCD, NUIG, ITT 1,433,532
12 Enhancement of texture, flavour & nutritional value of meat products for older people Dr Ruth Hamill Teagasc, & UCC 491,306
13 Improving the eating quality of Irish Pork Dr Paul Allen Teagasc, UCC 444,908
14 Technologies for the enrichment & recovery of novel bioactive ingredients from plant food processing wastes Dr Dilip Rai Teagasc, UCD, DIT 781,483
15 An investigation of Verocytotoxigenic E. Coli super-shedding in beef & dairy cattle & the factors underpinning human virulence potential & strain emergence as a result of vt phage transduction Dr Geraldine Duffy Teagasc, UCD, Cork Co Council 943,566
16 Innovative solutions for quality & safety improvement in dairy ingredient manufacture for infant formula Dr Donal O'Callaghan Teagasc, UCD 488,376
17 Novel Food Ingredients for the elderly Dr Paul O'Toole UCC, Teagasc 500,098
18 Accurate prediction of saleable yield Dr Paul Allen Teagasc, ICBF 308,116
19 Novel Pre-treatment regime to enhance the value and quality of vacuum packed retail cuts of beef Dr Paul Allen Teagasc, DIT 162,500
20 Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory ingredients for health enhancement in the older population Prof R.J.(Dick) Fitzgerald UL, UCC 495,472
21 Enhancing consumer safety by development of a rapid flow cystometric assay for early detection of coagulase positive Staphylococcus aureus in chilled ready meals. Dr Martin Wilkinson UL 92,673
22 Marine Compounds to enhance Productivity & health in pigs Prof John O'Doherty UCD 99,387
23 Expanding the potential for whey protein based encapsulation Dr Andre Brodkorb Teagasc 99,780
24 Smartfone delivered anti-tamper food food traceability system based on direct food Data
Matrix (DM) printing and change integrity sensors Prof Shane Ward UCD 98,749
25 Seaweed extracts to reduce Campylobacter in chickens Prof Torres Sweeney UCD 95,195
26 Molecular Biomarkers of Fertility-New Tools for the Cattle Industry Dr Kieran Meade Teagasc, TCD, UCD, UL 1,197,447
27 Defining optimal pasture composition and its relationship with management factors in order to maximise dairy and beef productivity, whilst minimising nitrous oxide emissions (urine N output), methane emissions and product taints. Dr Richard Dewhurst Teagasc, AFBI, QUB, UCD 610,165
28 Development of ante and post mortem meat inspection of pigs as a welfare diagnostic tool. Dr Laura Boyle Teagasc, QUB, UCD, CAFRE 376,672
29 Identifying the Distribution and Extent of Agricultural Land of High Nature Value - (Ideal-HNV) Dr John Finn Teagasc, IT Sligo 371,576
30 Classical and Genotypic methods of increasing grassland productivity through breeding Dr Michael O'Donovan Teagasc, AFBI 703,472
31 Multi-breed genomic selection in dairy and beef cattle Dr Donagh Berry Teagasc, ICBF 376,735
32 Monitoring Pathogen Evolution for sustainable Cropping Dr Ewen Mullins Teagasc, UCD, AFBI 759,828
33 Maximising the Genetic Potential of Young Elite Bulls - A Multidisciplinary Approach Dr Sean Fair UL, Teagasc, UCD 672,597
34 Crop Quest: New Crop Choices for Irish Growers Dr Dermot Forristal Teagasc, UCD 195,782
35 Cereal Improvement through Variety choice understanding Yield Limitations Dr John Spink Teagasc, AFBI, UCD 1,342,205
36 Feed evaluation for accurate nutrition Dr Tommy Boland UCD, Teagasc, 959,837
37 Modelling for increased grazing management precision on Irish grassland farms Dr Pat Dillon Teagasc, CIT, NUIM 363,868
38 Sustainable nitrogen fertiliser use and Disaggregated Emissions of Nitrogen Dr Karl Richards Teagasc, AFBI, UCD 640,177
39 Multidispciplinary programme to deliver improved diagnosis, on-farm strategies, and economic drivers for the control of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis on Irish farms Prof Stephen Gordon UCD, Teagasc, CIT, AFBI, QUB 1,496,739
40 Increased environmental efficiency of ruminant production systems through the incorporation of a Life Cycle Assessment into a quality assurance scheme. Dr Laurence Shalloo Teagasc, UCD, ICBF 784,554
41 Profitable dry stock enterprise development: Pathways to growth Dr David Meredith Teagasc, UCD 188,035
42 Smart Grassland Systems- Innovative Management and Technology Development to Maximise Resourse Use Efficiency Dr Helen Sheridan UCD, Teagasc, AFBI 633,046
43 Improving the productivity of heavy wet grassland for delivery of Food Harvest 2020 Dr James Humphreys Teagasc, UCD, TCD, 534,925
44 Strategies for controlling cadmium contamination in Irish Food Production Dr David Wall Teagasc, UCD, UCC 803,007
45 Genetic selection for improved milk and meat product quality in dairy, beef and sheep. Dr Donagh Berry Teagasc, UCD, ICBF 1,155,396
46 Exploitation of the nutritive properties of safe Irish-grown milled oat and barley varieties as functional ingrediants in new healthy food formulations Dr Eimear Gallagher Teagasc, UCC, UCD 732,354
47 Profitable production of bull beef to market specification while ensuring optimum quality for the consumer Dr Aidan Moloney Teagasc, UCD, UCC, ICBF 1,328,701
48 Mining and Modelling: Animal Rotavirus Epidemiology - (MMARE) Dr Helen O'Shea CIT, DCU, UCC 99,868
49 Campylobacter Control on Irish Broiler Farms - (Campy- Control) Dr Paul Whyte UCD, Teagasc 367,800
50 Targeted Low Cost solutions for control of salmonella in pig production - Dr Peadar Lawlor Teagasc, UCD, WIT 599,845
51 Forestry Management for the freshwater pearl mussel Dr Norman Allott TCD 78,558
52 Valuing the Ecosystem Services of Forests in Ireland Dr Aine Ni Dhubhain UCD, UCC, Teagasc, UL 201,755
53 Additions and refinements to the Irish forest carbon accounting and reporting tool. Prof Maarten Nieuwenhuis UCD, UCC, UL, Teagasc 1,485.708
54 Innovation in Irish Timber Usage Dr Annette Harte NUIG, QUB 484,663
55 Critical Biomass Removal on Irish Forest Soils Dr Thomas Cummins UCD, UL, Teagasc, NUIG 818,001