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The Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Shane McEntee, T.D. today presented the National Organic Awards at a ceremony hosted by Bord Bia in conjunction with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. This year over 100 individual organic products were entered into the competition.

The Minister said “the quality of the entries you submitted is a testament to your hard work and commitment. Today is a celebration of your achievements as Irish organic food and drink manufacturers”. Acknowledging the work of Bord Bia, the Minister said “this is the sixth year in which Bord Bia have organised the National Organic Awards and their seventh year as the main organisers of National Organic Week. We are very fortunate to have such a highly regarded body of experts to assist in the development of the Sector”.

The Minister encouraged more producers to consider the organic option and to grasp the opportunities that exist. “I fully believe that opportunities exist for Irish produce both at home and abroad. The quality of Irish organic produce submitted for this awards competition, clearly shows that Irish organic food has the high quality and standard required to compete on the world stage”.

Details of the individual award winners are available on the Bord Bia website.

Notes for Editor:

The objective of these awards is to recognise the achievements and raise the profile of Irish organic food and drink manufacturers. The awards are scheduled at this time of year to coincide with National Organic Week. The focus of National Organic Week is to increase consumer awareness of the benefits of organic food in addition to increasing the frequency of purchasing locally produced organic food. In addition to a successful media campaign there are also a number of events organised by organic producers and retailers throughout the country during National Organic Week.