Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue and Minister of State Martin Heydon, along with Bord Bia, held a virtual meeting with a key Spanish livestock business as part of a series of trade engagements around St Patrick’s Day.

The group is also set to meet with representatives from the Dutch livestock sector on 25 March.

Minister McConalogue highlighted the long-standing and mutually beneficial trading relationship between Ireland and the Netherlands in the export of calves.

“This upcoming virtual meeting aims to enable all parties to work together to ensure continued trade in healthy Irish calves to the Dutch market.

“We will further emphasise Ireland’s commitment to ensuring and enforcing the highest standards of animal welfare for calves during transport.”

Important markets

Bord Bia CEO Tara McCarthy added that the Dutch and Spanish markets are the most important for Irish calf exports and continued engagement with buyers, importers and finishers is important to facilitate ongoing smooth trade.

“For calf exports, it is important that the health and welfare of calves is guaranteed on-farm and, through Bord Bia’s sustainable beef and dairy schemes, we can offer proof to new and existing customers of the high standards of animal husbandry and calf welfare on Quality Assured Irish farms.”