The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney TD today invited trade bodies to submit proposals for EU food promotion programmes, which would attract 50% EU funding, for the following products:
- Internal Market: Fresh Fruit and Vegetables including Potatoes; Live Plants and Products of Ornamental Horticulture; Milk and Milk Products; Organic Farming and products registered under Council Regulation (EEC) No 2092/91.
- Third Countries: Fresh, Chilled and Frozen Beef, Veal And Pigmeat; Milk Products; Spirit Drinks with a Geographical or Reserved Traditional Indication
Minister Coveney highlighted that “ An EU fund of €50m is available annually for EU co-funding of food promotion programmes undertaken and financed by trade bodies on the internal market and in third countries. I would like to see more Irish trade bodies submitting proposals. ”
The themes and target audiences are set out in Regulations (EC) No 3/2008 and 501/2008. Proposals will be evaluated by the Department and then by the European Commission, which prioritises projects proposed by trade bodies in more than one Member State. Projects will commence in late 2013 / early 2014. The closing date for applications is 15 April 2013. A further call will take place in September2013.
Full details are available on the Departments website at:
http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/agrifoodindustry/promotionmarketing/schemeforthepromotionofagriculturalproducts2013/
Notes to the editor
The EU promotion and information policy funds generic promotion of agricultural products. Programmes are subject to the approval of the European Commission who finance up to 50% of the cost, (60% in the case of promotion of fruit and vegetables intended specifically for EU school children and of responsible drinking) with the balance funded by industry.
The regulatory basis is provided by Regulation (EC) No 501/2008 laying down detailed rules for the application of Council Regulation (EC) No 3/2008 on information provision and promotion measures for agricultural products on the internal market and in third countries.
Ireland currently has three programmes underway:
Milk Promotion – ‘Milk in Action’: This €1.5 million campaign commenced in 2010 and is due to expire in April 2013. The programme is co-ordinated by the National Dairy Council, and is run in co-operation with dairy trade bodies in Northern Ireland, England and Wales. It promotes the nutritional benefits and consumption of milk and dairy produce with a specific emphasis on making the link with sport, physical activity and nutrition.
Mushroom Promotion – ‘There’s More to Mushrooms’: This three year €2.6 million programme is co-ordinated by Bord Bia to promote mushrooms on the UK market and will run until September 2013. The campaign aims to address the decline in mushroom sales and aims to increase consumption by over 23,800 tonnes over three years by promoting their taste, nutrition and versatility.
Milk Promotion – ‘Milk, a force of nature’: A new three year dairy programme was developed by seven member states – Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, the Netherlands, Ireland and United Kingdom (Northern Ireland) and is due to commence in late spring 2013. The aim of the programme is to increase milk consumption based on the single concept of the nutrient richness of milk. The programme has a combined budget of €16m, of which approximately €800,000 will be managed by The National Dairy Council.