How can Irish agriculture and food find a way of trading effectively with the rest of the word during the period ahead?
This is the over-arching theme of the 2024 Agricultural Science Association (ASA) annual conference taking place in Co. Kilkenny today.
Courtesy of his opening remarks to the conference, EU affairs and communications manager with the Irish Co-Operative Organisation Society (ICOS), Damien O’Reilly, confirmed the importance of this issue.
“In a year when 50% of the world goes to the polls and the political landscape continues to shift, international trade policy will, inevitably, be impacted,” he said.
“Meanwhile, agriculture remains Ireland’s most important indigenous industry and is driven, very much, by exports.”
O’Reilly went on to point out that Irish agriculture and food is currently on a tightrope, where its future direction is concerned.
“Currently, the European Union and China are involved in a war of words; cars versus cows.
“We do not know how long this will continue for. But it does have the potential of impacting on our dairy sector.
“Meanwhile the European Union and the UK are trying to develop a new working relationship in the aftermath of Brexit. The Mercosur negotiations are still trundling along,” he continued.
Trading
Turning specifically to developments taking place within the European Union, the ICOS representative reflected on the combined impact of a new European Parliament and the soon-to-be-appointed team of European Commissioners.
“Negotiations will soon get underway on the future shape of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
“Wars in eastern Europe and the ongoing challenge of climate change will also act to impact on future trade practices around the world,” O’Reilly said.
Courtesy of her address, ASA president Niamh Bambrick said that Ireland must be allowed to maintain its status as a leading agri-food exporter.
She confirmed that farming and food exports from Ireland in 2023 amounted to €14.3 billion.
Recent ASA conferences have focused on issues relating to agricultural sustainability and land use policy.
She told Agriland that 2024 was chosen as the year when the conference would reflect on the core challenge facing Irish farming and food – in other words, how the industry interacts with the global consumer.
“Food production and land use policies must be fully aligned with this objective.
“These are testing times for our farming and food sectors with many varying demands and policy changes becoming apparent.
“Science and innovation must drive all of this. It’s a case of focusing on the facts,” she stressed.