Agri-food Production

The following actions will be undertaken in 2012 in respect of the Agri‐Food sector. We will:

7.4.1 Promote ‘co-opetition’ projects within the food industry, encourage B2B business, facilitate mentoring by larger food companies of smaller companies. (DAFM, Bord Bia, Enterprise Ireland)

7.4.2 Ensure completion of industry projects awarded aid under the Dairy, Beef and Sheepmeat Funds and ensure the implementation of a range of additional major company expansion projects approved over the last 24 months. (Enterprise Ireland)

7.4.3 Attract graduate talent into marketing roles within the food industry in line with the targets set out in Food Harvest Milestones for the Bord Bia Marketing Fellowship, Alumnus and Food Graduate Marketing Programmes. (Bord Bia)

7.4.4 Work closely with the industry to develop their plans to deal with the increasing supply of raw material projected in Food Harvest 2020 and support the development of increased scale and value added processing. (Enterprise Ireland)

7.4.5 Drive the technology capability of the industry, and progress the establishment of further industry and third‐level research collaborations in the food sector, taking into account the outcome of the National Research Prioritisation Exercise. (Enterprise Ireland, Teagasc)

7.4.6 Review the Food for Health Ireland collaborative research centre and develop a plan for future support. (Enterprise Ireland)

7.4.7 Implement incentives and measures to improve skills, farm structure and scale set out in Budget 2012. (DAFM, Teagasc)

7.4.8 Progress the development/licensing of large scale offshore finfish aquaculture sites in line with the road map set out in Food Harvest 2020 Milestones report. (BIM, DAFM)

7.4.9 Involve more food businesses in the Teagasc Food SME Technology Support Programme which targets start-up companies, growing enterprises and artisan food producers. (Teagasc, Enterprise Ireland)

7.4.10 Win additional foreign investment from multi‐national food companies and assist food multinationals already in Ireland to win more projects. (Enterprise Ireland, Teagasc, DAFM, DJEI)

7.4.11 Research, map and add to the food incubation space potentially available in industry and State agencies for use by existing and new food entrepreneurs. (DAFM, Teagasc, Enterprise Ireland)

7.4.12 Complete DAFM, Enterprise Ireland and Bord Bia scoping exercise on the market potential for delivery of new food and nutritional products and models of service to older people.

(DAFM, Bord Bia, Enterprise Ireland)

7.4.13 Create over new 150 jobs in the seafood sector by 2014 through the expansion of 18 seafood processing companies with investment supported by grant aid from BIM. (BIM, Enterprise agencies)

7.4.14 Run a number of business market development ventures, including two significant projects in 2012 (DFAM)

7.4.15 Achieve Food Harvest 2020 milestone targets for participation in Enterprise Ireland’s Lean services and the Leadership4Growth CEO Programmes for food companies. (Funded by DAFM)

7.4.16 Ensure continued industry participation in the implementation and review of the strategic research agendas (SRA) for food and primary agriculture ‐Food Research Ireland and Stimulating Sustainable Agricultural Production through Research and Innovation – SSAPRI (DAFM)

7.4.17 Fund further collaborative inter‐institutional research in line with Food Research Ireland and SSAPRI, to help underpin the sector and deliver the growth targets in Food Harvest 2020 (DAFM)