Horticulture Action Group meets to discuss Food Harvest 2020 report

THE newly formed Horticulture Action Group is to meet for the first time tomorrow to discuss its implementation of the Food Harvest 2020 Report.

Made up of horticultural growers and wholesalers from around the country, the members of the group were only unveiled yesterday by Minister of State for Horticulture, Ciarán Cuffe TD.

Representing the various sectors of the horticulture industry, the group comprises: Kieran Dunne, nursery stock producer; Caroline Keeling, wholesaler and protected crop producer; John Hogan, field vegetable producer; Lavinia Walsh, mushroom producer; Maurice Whelton, potato producer; Mike Neary, An Bord Bia; Jim O’Mahony, Teagasc; and Gabriel Roe, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

The remit of the group is to focus in specific terms on the implementation of the particular recommendations in the 2020 Report relating to Horticulture and to also consider other general farm and agriculture industry level recommendations.

The group will report back to the high level implementation group, which has been set up under the overall chairmanship of the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Brendan Smith TD.

Mr Smith said: “The horticultural industry has considerable potential to develop, but is also facing significant challenges. I am looking forward to the group progressing the implementation of the 2020 Food Harvest Report.”

Mr Cuffe will inaugurate the first meeting of the group tomorrow.