Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 25 April 2024
74. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will give consideration to a particular proposal on a Commission on the Future of the Family Farm Bill 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18243/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraLet me say at the outset that I am fully committed to the promotion and retention of the family farm model in Ireland. It is the heartbeat of our rural economy and the centre of all my major initiatives as Minister including of course the almost €10 billion of investment on Irish farms under the CAP Strategic Plan.
It was also core to the development of a 10-year strategy for the agri-food sector which was a key commitment of the Programme for Government. This called for an ambitious blueprint for the sector for the years ahead, supporting family farms & employment in rural Ireland and adding value sustainably into the future, with a strategic focus on environmental protection.
In late 2019, a Committee with 32 members representative of the sector, independently chaired, was established. The Committee held thirteen meetings and following the publication of a draft Strategy and associated environmental assessments for public consultation, a final Strategy was agreed in July.
I was delighted to launch Food Vision 2030, the stakeholder-led strategy for the Irish agri-food sector, in August 2021. Food Vision is honest and upfront about the challenges ahead. Crucially, it proposes solutions and charts a pathway to sustainability in all its dimensions – environmental, economic and social. One of its stand-out aspects is its adoption of a food systems approach, taking a more holistic view of agri-food by ensuring an interconnectedness between it and the areas of health & nutrition and the environment.
Food Vision aims for Ireland to be a world leader in Sustainable Food Systems. Food Vision 2030 sets out 22 goals under four high-level missions that the sector must achieve if it is to fulfil this ambition:
• A Climate Smart, Environmentally Sustainable Agri-Food Sector
• Viable and Resilient Primary Producers, with Enhanced Wellbeing
• Food that is Safe, Nutritious and Appealing, Trusted and Valued at Home and Abroad
• An Innovative, Competitive and Resilient Sector, Driven by Technology and Talent.
I have committed to leading on Food Vision and established a High Level Implementation Committee. I have already chaired ten meetings of the Committee, where we have examined a wide range of issues. I am pleased to say that implementation of Food Vision 2030 is well underway. The implementation process allows us to monitor progress, examine areas where progress is not being made and to adjust as appropriate. Most importantly we get to engage directly with stakeholders on their views. The first Food Vision Annual Report detailing progress was published in May 2023. I plan to publish the second Food Vision 2030 Annual Report shortly.
I have examined the Commission on the Future of the Family Farm Bill 2024 and note that the issues proposed for such a Commission are the issues of Food Vision 2030: the future of family farms, economically and socially; promoting a greater understanding of food systems; issues around the value chain; greater diversification in production systems and incomes; and ensuring environmental sustainability for agri-food. Food Vision 2030 put farmers and fishers, as our primary producers, at its core. Maintaining the model of family farming is a stated ambition.
I continue to engage and support the stakeholders of Food Vision 2030 and its implementation now is key. Our stakeholders need policy certainty after the churn of recent years and Food Vision offers this if implemented fully. Despite the various challenges of recent years, the sector has shown remarkable resilience and I believe Food Vision provides a vision for a dynamic, sustainable and innovative agri-food sector ready to adapt and to embrace change for a more sustainable future. I am confident that with Food Vision 2030 as a strategic framework, giving a clear statement of our policy intentions, Ireland’s agri-food sector will achieve its stated ambition to become a world leader in sustainable food systems.
