Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 December 2021
15. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when he plans to form a successor stakeholder group to the Beef Market Task Force; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60764/21]
View answerI am pleased to recently publish the report of the Chair of the Beef Taskforce.
The report clearly sets out that the group satisfied its remit in monitoring and progressing the implementation of the actions agreed by stakeholders in the beef sector agreement of 15th September 2019.
The Taskforce has delivered on its commitments which consisted of a total of 38 actions in two strands, one for the implementation of immediate changes and the second which related to strategic structural reform.
The Beef Taskforce can point to several specific and significant achievements, including:
- The introduction by the industry of new bonuses and increased bonus for the existing in-spec criteria.
- Significant input into the application for PGI status for Irish Grass Fed Beef
- Establishment of a Group to oversee of the development of a suckler brand proposition by Bord Bia, with a budget of up to €6 million.
- Three substantial reports on market transparency which add to the knowledge about the sector.
The Taskforce had a dedicated and diligent independent chair in Michael Dowling; and I fully accepted his further recommendation that we need ongoing stakeholder engagement on the key strategic issues facing the sector.
Preparations are currently under way to establish this new forum and further details will be announced in due course.
I was pleased to receive reports of strong engagement by stakeholders across the supply chain with the work of the Beef Taskforce and I look forward to this constructive engagement continuing in the context of the new forum.
Ensuring there is a long-term, sustainable and viable future for our suckler and beef farmers is a key priority of mine as Minister. This new sectoral forum will take a strategic view of supporting the development of the sector and contribute to our over arching objective of our Food Vision 2030 strategy, that Ireland will become a world leader in sustainable food systems over the next decade.
I am clear that the successor to the Beef Taskforce will be one that will look to put beef farming on a firm footing well into the future.
