Bord Bia Food and Drinks Summit

“SUSTAINABILITY A KEY DRIVER OF GROWTH”: COVENEY
“Bord Bia to Activate Technical Discussions on Dairy Sustainability Programme”

Speaking in advance of Bord Bia’s Food and Drinks Summit later this week, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney TD, said today that he had asked Bord Bia to now begin work with key stakeholders on the development of a national sustainability programme for the dairy sector.

Referring to the Food Harvest 2020 targets for the dairy sector, the Minister said that environmental sustainability would be a key factor when it came to planning for a 50% expansion in dairy production:

“In Food Harvest 2020, the Irish dairy sector has set an ambitious 50% expansion target for itself, against the background of milk quota abolition in 2015.   We know that Irish dairy farmers can meet these production targets, and that this will deliver a tremendous dividend for the Irish economy.  Of course this expansion will only happen if it is profitable, and this means increasing value added, finding new markets, expanding market share in traditional markets, and reducing costs at primary production level.

Read more  http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/press/pressreleases/2012/june/title,63712,en.html

Source DAFF: 20 June.