Bord Bia announces €3.5 million investment in Irish food sector

The PCF is an enabler for primary sectors such as meat and dairy to add value and generate sales in export markets

Bord Bia has announced plans to invest €3.5 million in a new marketing campaign to promote Ireland as a source of world-class sustainably produced food and drink

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Bord Bia has this week announced plans to invest €3.5 million in a new marketing campaign, under the Origin Green banner, to promote Ireland as a source of world-class sustainably produced food and drink.

The announcement came as the organisation launched its new national ‘Sustainable Dairy Assurance Scheme’. The new dairy scheme, which will roll out in January 2014, will be fundamental to Bord Bia’s plans to invest in the food sector in 2014.

The launch of the scheme this week in Dublin follows 18 months of planning by Bord Bia in conjunction with a stakeholder group – comprising of producers, milk processors and regulatory authorities, appointed to develop the scheme on behalf of milk producers nationwide.

The new scheme, which has been designed to provide a uniform mechanism of recording and monitoring the sustainability of Irish dairying at farm level, is the first of its kind in the world according to Bord Bia.

With Irish dairy exports reported to be worth more than €2.6 billion, Aidan Cotter, chief executive, Bord Bia commented on the future of dairy production in Ireland saying: "Ireland currently has a supply base of almost 18,000 farmers who between them produce more than five billion litres of milk annually. With the ending of dairy quotas in 2015, an increase of 50% is anticipated in milk output by 2020."

Speaking at the launch Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Simon Coveney said: "The Sustainable Dairy Assurance Scheme is not just about maintaining high standards and improving the environment. It also makes good business sense. It is about driving the development of an industry worth almost €3 billion in exports and maximising the contribution of dramatically expanding dairy production to the Irish economy."

He added: "Ireland is already starting from a position of strength when it comes to high quality and sustainability. The launch of this programme is another key milestone in the Irish dairy story, and capitalises on our natural assets in a way that creates a real point of differentiation with our current and prospective customers."

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