The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed, has announced the appointment of a ‘High Level Innovation Team’ as part of the Food Wise 2025 strategy.
Revealed earlier today (Thursday, May 10) at the 15th meeting of the Food Wise High Level Implementation Committee (HLIC). Topics discussed at the meeting included: innovation; farm safety; the seafood sector; and Brexit – which is a standing agenda item.
The Food Wise strategy includes a recommendation that a high-level team be established to review current agri-food sector innovation capacity and the use of this capacity by industry.
“I am delighted to announce today the composition of this team: Paul Finnerty; Frank Roche; and Mella Frewen, who are all experts in their own fields,” Minister Creed said.
This High Level Innovation Team, supported by a secretariat from Enterprise Ireland and my own department, will drive insight for the food industry on the benefits of investing in innovation.
“I hope that the team will also provide advice on the future vision for innovation, a key theme of Food Wise, across the sector,” the minister added.
The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) reported to the meeting on its activities in the area of farm safety promotion and policy development.
Representatives from the seafood sector also engaged with the High Level Implementation Committee on the sector’s potential for future sustainable growth, albeit with potentially significant exposure to Brexit impacts.