Consumers assured of grain quality

Dublin: Consumers have been assured that the Irish grain that goes into their food and drink is produced, handled, stored and transported according to a defined code of practice.

Trade and Commerce Minister Michael Ahern gave the assurance when he presented Irish grain assurance certificates to 47 merchants at a ceremony in Dublin.

He said every serious grain grower should be in the Irish Grain Assurance Scheme, owned by the Cereals Association of Ireland (CAI), administered by CropSure Ltd., a private company, and open to all growers and merchants.

It has some 6,000 grower members and covers about 90% of traded Irish grain.

A further 75% of all compound feeds are currently going through the scheme.

IGAS assurance is a requirement for all grain destined for the drinks and seed industry. Together, these figures indicate that Ireland has one of the highest levels of grain traceability in Europe.

Mr Ahern said food safety and food quality are vital to the success of the agriculture and food industry.

A total of 59 grain intake plants, presented with certificates, represent a combined storage capacity of almost 1.4 million tonnes.

CropSure director Andrew Bergin said significant funds have been taken from grain growers in the form of modulated funds.

It therefore seems logical, he said, that these funds should be chanelled directly back to growers and merchants who participate in an independent food safety scheme operating to the highest international standards.