Agri Aware Calls on Consumers to Buy Irish this Christmas

Agri Aware, the agri-food educational body,has appealed to the general public to support the Irish agri-food industry, by buying local, quality and sustainably produced Irish food this Christmas.

According to Agri Aware’s Chairman, Bernard Donohue, buying Irish will support 300,000 jobs on farms and in Irish agri-food companies nationwide.

“This is the time of year when consumers spend most and we must encourage them to purchase quality and sustainably produced Irish food this Christmas,” Mr Donohue said.

“Source a high quality turkey reared in your locality, stay with our traditional Irish vegetables and make sure your roast potatoes are home grown. Keep your local farmers in business so that they can continue to deliver quality, wholesome Irish food in the year ahead.”

His comments come as Agri Aware has launched its annual Christmas radio advertisement campaign, encouraging consumers to shop locally and to purchase Irish produced food, which Mr Donohue says not only supports the local economy, but also local livelihoods.

“Consumers who act with national festive spirit can support the livelihood of one in seven people in the country,” he concluded.

Agri Aware’s Christmas “Buy Irish” radio advertisement can be heard on RTE Radio One this week and features Mr Donohue and independent economist, Jim Power.