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Ireland must have audited, inspected systems in place to back up the Origin Green story when selling Irish dairy products abroad, Bord Bia chief executive Tara McCarthy has said.
Speaking at the Irish Farmers Journal Dairy Day in Punchestown, McCarthy said while 90% of dairy farmers in Ireland are now quality-assured through the SDAS scheme, the target is to reach 100% “in a very short time”.
Food security
“The basis of our message we are sending to our markets overseas is about Ireland’s sustainability and food security,” she explained. “It’s not just about telling our Origin Green story, we must be able to prove data and audits of what’s happening on farms.”
“We need to show that we have a very genuine story.”
Referring to the recent Bord Bia and Department of Agriculture trade mission to Japan and South Korea, McCarthy said: “Half of the people we met did not know where Ireland is. However, the shortcut for us is to tell them about our superior image, the Origin Green story.”
She added: “When we tell the brand image of Ireland, our customers are interrogating us – they want to know exactly how much time our cows spend at grass, how much of the diet comes from grass.
“We need audited, accredited proof points to add to the image.”
They want to know exactly how much time our cows spend at grass
McCarthy added that as Ireland moves toward exporting the targeted €19bn of food and drink, Ireland’s reputation will be key to selling into 180 countries.
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