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Growing the success of Irish food & horticulture AIDAN COTTER CHIEF EXECUTIVE

BORD BIA 28 JANUARY 2009

Growing the success of Irish food & horticulture

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IIEA Conference: A Flavour of the Future Tuesday 5th July, 2011

Pathways for Growth

Building on our green image

to create competitive advantage Aidan Cotter


“Sustainability …the single biggest business opportunity of the 21st century

….the next source of competitive advantage.” Walmart

“Companies that take the

lead on sustainability will be

market makers rather than market takers.”

World Economic Forum

“New Zealand aims to be a credible leader in responding

to Climate Change”

“….increasingly…. a

critical driver of business growth.”


Irish food seen to have strong Sustainability credentials

“Relative to Holland Ireland stands for more space,

better climate, fresh grass”

“Superquinn built a reputation for high quality local food,

can not achieve this without good local food suppliers”

The fact that an Irish farm was chosen as the

McDonalds Flagship Farm for beef in Europe

indicates Irish farms are doing good things and

can farm in a sustainable way

…green and natural… ….but now we need to

prove it…


“In preparation for living up to the claim of being

open for inspection …food and agriculture

companies must take to heart the need for

sustainability and transparency in food production”

…. “we are natural and we can prove it”. Professor David Bell and Mary Shelman, Harvard Business School, May 2010

Growing the success of Irish food & horticulture Growing the success of Irish food & horticulture

Demonstrating our Green Credentials

Water

Biodiversity

Carbon

Deforestation


The Journey to date


BQAS Environmental Pilot

  Measure different production systems

 Identify strongest performing areas and those with room for improvement

 Deliver credibility by independently certifying results


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Scope of Beef Project

Farming (Pilot)

Processing

Packing

Transport

Retail



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Processing

Packing

Transport

Retail

Farming

•  Pilot programme of 200 BLQAS farms

•  Close collaboration with Teagasc

•  Utilise AIM database

•  All major inputs/outputs captured

Progress to date •  Methodology & calculation model accredited by Carbon Trust in March 2011

•  Rollout of programme to all 32,000 BQAS farms started in May 2011

•  Feedback programme to farmers commenced in May 2011

Farm element



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Environmental measurement in BLQAS

Least efficient

Most efficient

1st National Quality Assurance Scheme to include Environmental Sustainability criteria

  Data from up to 500 farms weekly

  Focus on: •  Amount of beef produced

•  Outdoors/Housing

•  Manure management

•  Feeding regime

  Indicative performance

  Feedback to participants


Communications Programme with key

customers of Irish beef

Demonstrate proactive approach

Consolidate relationships

Enhance market profile

All key customers updated on programme by September


Next Steps



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....Extending beyond carbon Extending beyond Carbon

  Initial focus on water and biodiversity

  Benchmark performance

  Develop framework for incorporating into

BLQAS

  Focus is on measurement and improvement



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Retail Transport

Farming

Processing

Packing

•  Processing footprint

•  Working with Carbon Trust

•  Sample of processing plants

Timescale •  Model development completed by September 2011

•  Accreditation by December 2011

•  Ongoing feedback with meat companies

Go beyond the farm gate for beef



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Extend to other products......Starting with dairy

Farming

Processing

Packing

Transport

Point of sale

Replicate work undertaken on beef

with farm element being initial focus



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Utilising BLQAS infrastructure

  8,000 dairy farms are members of BLQAS

  Work underway with Carbon Trust

  Pilot footprint programme on 100 farms

Timescale •  Pilot footprint programme completed by December 2011

•  Methodology and model accreditation by early 2012

•  Feedback to participants



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Commence work on other product areas

  Focus on:

•  Other meats

•  Grain

•  Horticulture

Timescale •  Commence work in 2nd half of 2011 - complete farm element in 1st half of 2012

•  Measure beyond the farm gate in 2nd half of 2012


The Study


“Ireland is at an enviable starting point in the race

to produce exactly the type of food that a growing

number of consumers are demanding”

Professor David Bell and Mary Shelman, Harvard Business School, May 2010

Growing the success of Irish food & horticulture AIDAN COTTER CHIEF EXECUTIVE

BORD BIA 28 JANUARY 2009


placeholder Hint: Use this placeholder for the date

IIEA Conference: A Flavour of the Future Tuesday 5th July, 2011

Pathways for Growth

Building on our green image

to create competitive advantage Aidan Cotter

aidan cotter sliders - iiea agri-food conference

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