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Agri-Vision 2015 Committee, Ireland Press Releases |
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Walsh launches group to plan for Agriculture up to 2015
- Inaugural Meeting of Agri Vision 2015 Committee -
The Minister for Agriculture and Food, Mr Joe Walsh TD, today spoke at the first meeting of the High Level Group that he established to set out a vision for the Agriculture and Food Sector over the next decade.
Speaking to the Group (known as the Agri-Vision 2015 Committee) which consists of experts from farming, the food industry, research, academia and state agencies and is chaired by the former Minister, Mr Alan Dukes, the Minister said: “I invited this Committee to revisit the Agri Food 2010 Report. Obviously the external environment has changed and so it is timely to revisit this area. Even in the relatively short span of five years, there have been a number of significant developments.”
The key developments include:
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The fundamental change in the CAP with the introduction of the single farm payment decoupled from production.
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The acceleration in the rationalisation of retailing and the increased growth in the prepared consumer foods sector.
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The renewed emphasis on farming not as a source of cheap food but its links with safety, welfare standards and the environment.
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The continuing globalisation of trade and the necessity to update the rules of world trade through the WTO.
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The imminence of enlargement of the European Union and the opportunity that this may present for Ireland.
“The future transitions and indeed transformation which the agri-food sector will inevitably go through will not be easy and will well require a clear vision for this key economic sector. The work of this group is very important and I know you will provide an accurate assessment of the future needs of the sector.”
He went on to say: “It is my belief that having experts from different areas meeting together and discussing the full range of issues is likely to prompt new ideas and innovative approaches and will help provide a road-map, setting out the vision and strategies needed for the sector.”This is the first meeting of the Group and they will be placing a notice in the national papers seeking the views of interested parties.
The Minister concluded by wishing the Group well and looked forward to the outcome of their deliberations.
11 February, 2004
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