Mr. Larry Murrin:

That is a nice little brace of questions that will surely test me, as chair designate, particularly as I have not yet attended my first board meeting. Nonetheless, I will make an attempt at an educated answer for the benefit of the Chair and the committee.

I think the Chair is referring to veal production in the context of calf exports. I do not have a particular brief in respect of veal production, but I will say that I think we do have an opportunity over time to further enhance our activity in that space. Undoubtedly, it will lead to some changes in the welfare aspects of calf exports. I believe our welfare on calf exports is considered to be of a reasonably high standard currently. I would like to think this can be encouraged and continue to grow, notwithstanding that we must recognise the issues that scaling and opportunity like that actually represent. I am advised that some trials on veal processing were conducted last year. However, this is still considered to be early days. I do think it is something that we in Bord Bia will revert to the committee on in due course.

On Origin Green, as I said earlier, in time it will go down as one of the smartest initiatives undertaken by an entire sector. The day Origin Green was created, those of us who were present – and perhaps the Chair was too – knew it was a journey that we were embarking on. We knew that it was not a light switch but a dimmer which would take many years to illuminate the path. And so it has proven. Origin Green is unique in the world of food and farming in the developed world or in any part of the world. It gives Ireland a unique platform on which to continue to build what will be and is already a unique case in many areas.

The Chair spoke about organics. I think organics can survive and thrive well within an Origin Green framework. There may have to be tweaks as we take that journey and, no doubt, they will be subject of debate but certainly I do not see them as being opposing goals. I think they are complementary and should be seen as such.