Agri-food’s glowing report card

While the pain of the ongoing downturn is still evident in every sector of the economy, most farmers can take heart from the positive signs on their immediate horizon.

Agriculture Minister of State, Tom Hayes, rolled out a review to his Dáil colleagues of the department’s performance to date. There’s no denying that the Department is justified in claiming to have made “ substantive progress” on most of its 23 recommendations in the programme for Government.

Mr Hayes cited good outcomes from EU and international negotiations; positive developments in the meat, dairy, food, aquaculture and sea fisheries sectors; progress in Food Harvest 2020 and specifically creating a brand image for Irish agri-food; the department’s support for young farmers, the environment and animal welfare; and integration of marine policy into the department’s brief.