The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed TD, today launched the second progress report on Food Wise 2025: Steps to Success 2017.

Speaking today, Minister Creed said “Since its launch in July 2015, Food Wise 2025 has evolved from a high level strategy into a shared blueprint for all involved in the sector.  My focus in the year ahead will be to support the agri-food sector (including forestry and fishing) to continue to make a vital contribution to the Irish economy, in an economically, socially and environmentally sustainable manner.”

The Minister continued “While the industry is currently facing significant uncertainty caused largely by Brexit, the sector’s capacity for resilience and diversification in times of challenge should not be underestimated. The challenges posed by Brexit makes the actions proposed in Food Wise 2025 all the more relevant.” 

Minister Creed chairs the Food Wise High Level Implementation Committee (HLIC), with senior representatives from all relevant Government Departments and State agencies, ensuring a joined up approach. “We will double-down on progressing relevant Food Wise recommendations”, the Minister said, “particularly those related to market development, competitiveness and innovation, as part of our Brexit response. Food Wise commits us to the highest standards of environmental protection, food safety and quality assurance, all of which are crucial to the sustainable development of the sector.”

Steps to Success 2017highlights the progress achieved in year two in the implementation of the detailed Food Wise 2025 strategy. Of the 368 actions which were due to commence by 2017 or are ongoing actions, 46% have been achieved or substantial action has been undertaken; and a further 49% have commenced and are progressing well.  Minister Creed stated ‘this shows good progress but I will press on getting as many actions as possible complete within the next year’.

Steps to Success provides examples of successful State collaboration across the key themes of Food Wise, as well as providing updates on the three key priorities for 2016, Bord Bia’s Thinking House, Meat Technology Ireland; and the ‘2017: Year of Sustainable Grassland’ initiative.

Minister Creed highlighted some of the key priorities for the next year of Food Wise implementation:

• the creation of a ‘one-stop-shop’ to attract and inform individuals of the benefits of a career in the sector;
• the establishment of a ‘high level innovation team’ to review current agri-food sector innovation capacity and better market that innovation capability;
• Minister Creed concluded “Steps to Success 2017 also prioritises an important market profiling exercise for potential third country and EU markets for Irish exports in response to Brexit. This exercise will feed into our intensified programme of trade missions and other initiatives aimed at opening new markets and developing existing markets.”

Notes for Editors:

Both Steps to Success 2017 and a detailed report on the status of Food Wise 2025 Year Two actions are available on the Department’s website at: http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/foodwise2025/

To view this Press Release as a PDF: DAFMPR 126/2017 (pdf 410Kb) 

Aidan O’Driscoll, Secretary General at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed T.D. at today’s launch of the second progress report on Food Wise 2025: Steps to Success 2017.

Date Released: 06 July 2017