The European Livestock and Meat Trades Union’s (UECBV) European Conference and Annual General Meeting (AGM) is taking place in the Aviva Stadium in Dublin today (Thursday, October 20).

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the UECBV. According to the union, it is “the European voice of national federations representing the meat industry (slaughterhouses and cutting plants), meat traders and livestock traders”.

Agriland is in attendance at today’s event, the theme of which is ‘Securing a Sustainable Future’.

The event will hear from a number of speakers, including the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue.

The AGM and conference is taking place at the Aviva Stadium, Dublin

According to the organisers of the conference, the event will focus on “two major themes which will dominate the landscape of the meat industry for years to come”, namely sustainable nutrition and food security.

At the conference, a panel of speakers will address the challenges and opportunities for the sector with a focus on these two issues.

Some of the speakers at today’s event include:

  • Charlie McConalogue, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine;
  • John Murray, director of meat, food and beverage, Bord Bia;
  • Dr. Patrick Wall, professor of public health, University College Dublin (UCD) School of Public Health;
  • Dr. Carrie Ruxton, dietitian and health writer;
  • Rupert Claxton, livestock and meat director with strategic consultancy and food-market research firm Gira;
  • Michael Scannell, deputy director general for DG AGRI in the European Commission.

The three-day event takes place over October 19, 20 and 21. The first day of the event featured a series of private UECBV member meetings while today sees the union’s AGM and conference take place.

Tomorrow (Friday, October 21), attendees at the event will pay a visit to the Devenish Lands at Dowth, Co. Meath for a tour of the research farm there. The farm has been recognised by Wageningen University as an ‘International Lighthouse Farm’ and is regarded as a farm that is leading the way in the future of sustainable food production.

This event is co-hosted by Bord Bia and Meat Industry Ireland (MII).

Commenting on the event, John Murray, Bord Bia’s director of meat, food and beverage, said: “In the context of our growing global population, it is imperative that the European meat industry continues to strive to further reduce the emissions associated with its production.

“Today, we will hear from an expert panel of speakers who will outline the importance of meat as part of a balanced diet…and how customers and consumers increasingly want to understand how their food is produced.”

Philip Carroll, chairperson of MII, said: “The second half of our conference will focus on the crucial topic of food security and how to balance sustainability targets and initiatives with continuing to feed our European and global populations.

“The European meat processing sector has strong sustainability credentials and the European Commission must work with, and support, the sector to achieve our sustainability targets as outlined in the [EU] Farm to Fork Strategy, while not undermining future food and nutrition security,” Carroll added.

UECBV