The Food Vision Dairy Group, which met for the first time today (Monday February 7), is set to meet again later this month.
The group, which is chaired by former Teagasc director, Prof. Gerry Boyle has been tasked with examining emissions within the dairy sector.
The group is to produce a detailed plan by the second quarter of this year “to manage the sustainable environmental footprint of the dairy sector” in line with the Food Vision 2030 strategy.
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, who established the group, has welcomed its first meeting.
In order to give certainty to the dairy sector, the minister has requested that an initial report be completed by the group by the end of March.
This will set out “how emissions associated with the dairy sector can be stabilised, and then reduced”.
Dairy sector
McConalogue said that he is “confident that working together we can stabilise and then reduce emissions from the dairy sector”.
The minister said that this will position Ireland “as a world leader in sustainable food systems” and help to meet our climate targets.
McConalogue said that it would also ensure that the market delivers a reward for quality, sustainably produced food – “particularly for our farmers, and their families who are the bedrock of the sector”.
“We want to ensure that we continue to have a sector that is vibrant and attractive to new entrants.
“We have to think about how we ensure that there is space for generational renewal and new entrants to the sector, or for those with marginal enterprises to improve viability, and space to encourage innovation and value addition,” the minister added.
McConalogue thanked the Prof. Gerry Boyle for taking on the role and the members of the group for “their active participation in discussions”.
The second meeting of the group will take place later this month.