Agriculture ministers pledged today (Friday, March 1) that farmers – north and south – would get the “recognition they deserve” as a result of the all-island Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status for Irish beef.
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, met for the first time with the new Northern Ireland Minister of Agriculture, Andrew Muir, on a farm in Co. Donegal to mark the registration of Irish grass fed beef as a PGI.
Minister McConalogue described it as a “very positive day for Irish farmers and Irish beef”.
“Visiting this excellent beef farm here in Donegal today is a reminder of the quality and sustainability of Irish beef and why it is in such demand around the world.
“The primary produce from Irish farmers that goes into creating our internationally respected quality food is the backbone of our agri-food sector. Securing the PGI status is recognition of these premium standards,” he added.
Minister McConalogue said he looked forward to seeing the PGI products on European supermarket shelves and “continuing to tell the story of Irish farming to an international audience.”
Both ministers highlighted the importance of the collaborative effort in securing the PGI status.
The Northern Ireland Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Andrew Muir, said the granting of Geographical Indication status for Irish grass fed beef “places it on the same pedestal as world-renowned products such as champagne, Parma ham, Roquefort Cheese and of course Irish whiskey”.
He said the whole process of securing PGI status – which included the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), Northern Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, the UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Bord Bia and the Livestock and Meat Commission – had been “an amazing success”.
Minister Muir also said that he hoped the strong working relationships between government bodies north, south, east and west are “further developed in any future all-island GI applications.”
PGI status welcome
Meanwhile the registration of Irish Grass Fed Beef as an all-island PGI has been welcomed by the Sinn Féin spokesperson on agriculture.
Deputy Claire Kerrane said: “Irish beef is unique given the grass based system of beef farming in Ireland, and this status recognises this high quality produce for customers here in Ireland and abroad.
“This should also enhance promotion of Irish beef and help producers in marketing beef better.
“Irish beef is renowned throughout the world and this recognition today is thoroughly deserved to Irish beef farmers who have created and sustained world wide recognition of such a high quality produce.”