Minister for Justice Helen McEntee officially opened the new Progressive Genetics headquarters in Rathcore, Enfield, Co. Meath today (July 8).
The new premises which is on the former Rathcore Golf Club was purchased by Progressive Genetics in 2016, as the company outgrew it’s previous base on Kylemore Road.
Minister McEntee was treated to a private tour of the facility, before addressing attendees and cutting the ribbon. The minister commended the co-op on its success and growth over the past 27 years. She said:
“It really is absolutely fantastic to see a farmer led co-op here, that employs 300 people, that supports countless thousands of other farmers.
“I have absolutely no doubt that it is because of that farmer centred approach that you are here today opening this new HQ. Who is better to know what you need or how to develop your industry other than farmers themselves.”
The minister spoke about how much the agricultural sector has transformed over the last 30 years and cited developments such as artificial intelligence, heat detection and milk recording that have enabled farmers to overcome challenges and increase value on farm. She said:
“The integration of these technologies would have been so foreign to farmers just a few decades ago, but now they are part and parcel of standard practice that we see on farms.
“There will always be challenges with agriculture but it’s about moving with the times. It’s about changing and it’s about being progressive.
Progressive Genetics history
CEO of Progressive Genetics Brendan Scanlon who also spoke at the event, recalled some milestones in the co-ops 27 year history, including the role it played in founding the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBH) and the subsequent development of a central database for cattle breeding data.
Scanlon also recalled the establishment of the National Cattle Breeding Centre in 2005, which combined the breeding programmes of Progressive Genetics and Munster Bovine. Recognising the progress that has been made, he stated:
“The average EBI of the first calving heifers in 2022 is €214 higher than the first calving heifers 20 years ago. This equates to an extra €420 per lactation for heifers calved this year, compared with 2002.”
Scanlon said that the industry has changed enormously since the 90s, when Ireland largely looked abroad for genetics, however this is no longer the case. Outlining how genetics has had a positive impact on farmers’ production systems, he said:
“Milk production reached 8.7 million litres in 2021, an increase of 20% since 2017, with dairy cow numbers increasing to about 1.5m.
“This is clear proof that genetic gain is making Irish farmers more efficient.
Scanlon also commended the environmental benefits that efficient breeding brings. He said that research has recently shown that for every €10 invested in EBI, there is a reduction of 1% in green house gas emissions per kilo of milk solids.
“Simply put, our carbon footprint can be improved with genetics. We are very proud of what we do here, and I have no doubt that Progressive Genetics will be here in another 27 years serving our customers,” he concluded.