An inspector at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has been appointed as the new director of Meat Industry Ireland (MII).
Ibec, the group that represents Irish business, has confirmed that Dale Crammond is to take over the role in January.
Speaking on his appointment, Crammond said: “I am looking forward to leading MII in what is a period of huge opportunities for the industry, despite emerging economic challenges.
“The meat sector in Ireland, from farm through to processing and export, is one of the most important indigenous industries in the national economy, supporting in excess of 120,000 individual farmers and generating total sales of more than €4.5 billion.
“Rurally located meat processing plants act as a key economic contributor by providing direct employment in many Irish towns with additional supplementary jobs generated in distribution, transport and services.
“Irish beef, pork and lamb are exported and enjoyed by consumers all over the globe and I look forward to assisting the industry to further build on progress,” he added.
Meat Industry Ireland
Dale Crammond joins MII from the DAFM where he has spent over 20 years working on environmental sustainability, trade (served as attaché in Washington, D.C.) and managing national and EU research programmes.
He holds a Bachelor of Agricultural Science Degree from University College Dublin (UCD) and a Master’s degree in Environmental Sciences from Trinity College Dublin (TCD).
Crammond will take up the role following the announcement during the summer that Joe Ryan, who had been previously announced as the new director, was leaving to take up a role outside the organisation.
Ryan’s departure from Ibec and MII brought to an end not only a month-long term as senior director of the meat-processing body, but also an eight-year-long tenure at the organisation.
At the time, Ryan was succeeding Cormac Healy, who had been appointed to a new role with Drinks Industry Ireland.