Thursday, 19th


October 2017


info@eastcorkjournal.ie


EAST CORK AGRICULTURE info@eastcorkjournal.ie


€8.8 Million For Moorepark National Food Innovation Hub A Vote Of Confidence In Irish Agriculture - David Stanton


Cork East Fine Gael


TD, and Minister of State at the Department of Justice, David Stanton, has welcomed today’s funding announcement by An Taoiseach and Minister Michael Creed, of €8.8 million for the de- velopment of the Nation- al Food Innovation Hub. The Hub will be located at Teagasc’s Moorepark facility outside Fermoy. “This is great news for


farming in my constitu- ency of Cork East and for the national agricul- tural industry. “I know that the indus-


try is concerned about the potential impact of Brexit on agricultural trade so this funding is a vote of confidence in our agricultural industry’s fu- ture.


“Minister Creed ex-


plained that the Hub is an integral part of the Food Wise 2025 plan, which identified Re- search, Development and Innovation as key drivers of competitiveness in the agri-food sector. Collabo- ration between industry and the research commu- nity is crucial to advance research and new prod-


uct innovation. “As the Taoiseach said


today, this Hub will help Irish businesses to inno- vate and expand. It will help to ensure our agri food sector remains com- petitive which is hugely important to help miti- gate the impacts of Brex- it.


The hub will act as


a business innovation network involving dairy companies, Moorepark Technology Ltd (MTL), incubator companies and public-private part- nership based R&D pro- grammes with a research


focus on food processing, quality and nutrition. It will consist of up to 12 customer application suites containing office and laboratory space, so that


each company


can have an on-cam- pus presence to conduct new-product ment


develop- and collaborate


with research. Minister Creed con-


firmed today that €8.8m of exchequer funding will be provided from the Department of Agricul- ture’s Capital allocation on a phased basis over 2018 and 2019 to fund


the development of the National Food Innova- tion Hub. This investment in the


National Food Innova- tion Hub is in addition to a €10 million investment by Teagasc and the dairy industry in MTL (Moore- park) to expand and up- grade its pilot processing facilities. This upgrade is currently underway. “This development is


great news for the agri- food sector and indeed for SME’s both here in Cork and also national- ly,” concluded Minister Stanton.


25


Deadline Monday at noon


Processors Keeping Sheep Prices Down With Underhanded Methods


ICSA sheep chairman


John Brooks has said that processors are ramping up their efforts to keep sheep prices down. “Meat plants are creating the impres- sion of a backlog and an oversupply in the market- place by using imported lamb and lamb products from Northern Ireland and the UK. The result of this on the ground is farmers here are having to wait three to four days to get lambs slaughtered and with some companies this wait can be up to a week.”


Continuing Mr Brooks said, “This practice puts at risk the whole idea of traceability, origin green and quality assurance. It also shows a complete lack of respect for both the producer and the con- sumer.” “Processors are


also


capping weights while also making efforts to pro- cure heavier lambs from their agents in a cynical attempt


to acquire as


much ‘free meat’ as possi- ble, all at the expense of the producer. ”


IFA And Bord Bia Visit Turkey On Live Cattle Exports Speaking from Anka-


ra, Turkey, IFA National Livestock Chairman An- gus Woods said that from the positive


discussions


with the ESK (Turkish Meat and Milk Board), it is clear Turkey has an import requirement


had, Ireland for


500,000 head of live cat- tle each year. He said, “Based on the discussion we


could


supply up to 100,000 head of this requirement on an annual basis”. Bord Bia and the IFA with the Director


met


General of ESK, Mr Ethem Kalin in Ankara, Turkey this week, as well as the Director General Mr Salih Turgay Isik of the Department of Agri- culture and live cattle im- porters on the important live


export trade from


Ireland to Turkey. There are a number of consignments currently being assembled for Tur- key by Irish exporters, with further shipments anticipated over the com- ing months. To date this year, almost 17,000 Irish


cattle have been exported to the Turkish market, and


this follows ship-


ments of almost 20,000 head in autumn 2016. Angus Woods said the


Turkish authorities rec- ognised the high quality of Irish livestock praised the


and shipments


they had received from Ireland. He said, “Tur- key wants to develop the trade with Ireland and it is very important that this is fully facilitated in every way.” The


Chairman said, “We discussed how we increase


IFA Livestock can


supplies from


Ireland by matching our seasonal production with the Turkish specification requirements. We


also


discussed various issues around weight, age and quarantine ments.”


Angus Woods said the


delegation discussed all aspects of animal welfare with the official veteri- narians in the Depart- ment of Agriculture and it is clear that


this is a @eastcorkjournal / #eastcorkjournal require-


very important issue for the Turkish authorities. Joe


Burke, Livestock


Manager with Bord Bia made a presentation to the Turkish authorities on the beef and livestock sector in Ireland. He em- phasised the high quality of the progeny from the Irish suckler beef herd and the work at


farm


level to further improve genetics. Turkey has also become a


key market


for exports of Irish beef genetics,


taking an esti-


mated 400,000 AI straws from Ireland this year. The


Govern-


ment-owned Meat and Milk Board (ESK) issues the tenders to supply live cattle to the Turkish market. In the meeting with Bord Bia and the IFA, the ESK explained that 60% of animals are currently being imported from South America - Brazil and Uruguay. The remainder are


mainly


supplied by European countries, although im- ports from France con- tinue to be restricted on


eastcorkjournal


• IFA and Bord Bia meet ESK (Meat and Milk Board) in Turkey on live cattle exports: Pictured at a meeting in the offices of ESK in Anakara Turkey are (l-r) Joe Burke Livestock Manager Bord Bia; Mr Ethem Kalin, Director General ESK Turkey; Angus Woods, IFA National Livestock Chairman; Michael Hussey, Manager Bord Bia Middle East; and, Kevin Kinsella, IFA Director of Livestock.


Tel: 021 463 8000 • Email: info@eastcorkjournal.ie • Web: www.eastcorkjournal.ie account of Bluetongue


disease. The ESK emphasised


that they have specific import requirements for


three categories of an- imals. The majority of Irish animals supplied to-date have been young bulls for finishing. These


must be under 12 months of age, less than 300kg in weight and need to undergo a 21-day quar- antine period before ex-


port. High quality heifers are also in demand for breeding, as are finished bulls ready for slaughter in the Turkish market.


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