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There have been growing calls recently, including here in the Irish Farmers Journal, for the meat and dairy sector to proactively tell its own story about the benefits of our world-class produce.
We have listened. We have heard. And today we are launching Meat and Dairy Facts to set the record straight and ensure consumers have the full facts at their disposal.
Farmers, processors and representative organisations have joined forces to highlight the nutritional benefits of meat and dairy, and to explain the steps we are taking to protect the environment and care for our animals.
Meat and Dairy Facts has been established by Bord Bia, Dairy Industry Ireland, the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association, the Irish Farmers Association, Meat Industry Ireland and the National Dairy Council.
Our website – meatanddairyfacts.ie – will serve as a go-to resource for information on the facts about health, the environment and animal welfare.
We are not just waiting for people to come looking for information, though.
We will reach the public via Twitter (meat_dairyfacts), Facebook (meatanddairyfacts) and Instagram (@meatanddairyfacts).
Right now, many consumers do not know the basic facts about meat and dairy, which often leads to confusion.
Many consumers no longer know where to look for scientifically sound and consumer-friendly information. The effects of this misinformation are plain to see.
The Department of Health advises Irish adults to consume three servings from the milk, yoghurt and cheese food group every day to get the calcium, protein, B vitamins and other nutrients they need.
Yet, in spite of this advice and the reams of research backing it up, just 13% of Irish adults are getting the recommended amounts of dairy each day.
A similar problem can be seen when it comes to meat.
Although the Irish public recognises the high quality of Irish beef, lamb and pork, they are often unaware of the multitude of vitamins and minerals in meat, including B2, B3, B6, and B12, which help to maintain a healthy body, not to mention how much protein these meats contain.
Elsewhere, the Irish public is increasingly concerned about climate change, and rightfully so.
While more needs to be done, few people are aware of how much our farmers are already doing in this area, and the success they have had.
The statistics from the European Commission show that the Irish dairy sector is the most carbon-efficient in Europe, while our beef sector is among the top five. Substantial carbon footprint reductions have taken place over the last decade.
Initiatives
This improvement was not achieved by accident; it came about through collaborative industry-led initiatives designed to promote continuous improvement, including sustainability programmes such as Origin Green, SBLAS, SDAS and Smart Farming.
Every week, up to 800 farms across Ireland have their carbon footprints measured and environmental performance in other areas assessed.
Our industry is working together and delivering results.
Ireland’s grass-based farming system is also under-appreciated, particularly as it allows our beef and dairy cows and our sheep to enjoy a much more natural lifestyle.
We operate in line with the strictest animal welfare protections in the world. There is a ban on hormone usage here, and we use fewer antibiotics than most of our EU counterparts.
These are little-known facts, which the public deserves to hear.
Today’s questioning consumer is short on time, but thirsty for knowledge.
Meat and Dairy Facts will be working to ensure that consumers have the full facts now, to make informed choices in the future.
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