Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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9. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the progress to date of the beef task force; the timeline for the completion of commitments given to the task force; the steps he is taking to implement the measures proposed by this Deputy and unanimously adopted by Dáil Éireann on 26 September 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26493/21]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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Irish beef promotion and sales are about volume and not value, which sees everyone except the farmer getting a margin. Technology has the potential to disrupt this model to the direct benefit of suckler farmers. Blockchain technology in the beef industry is tomorrow's offal. Whomever controls the blockchain controls the sector. This must be publically-owned and controlled and not let fall into the hands of one or two vested interests.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy's written question was dealing with the task force as well but I will first respond to his point about blockchain. It certainly is exciting technology and the potential of it is very strong indeed. It is something we have had discussions on previously in great detail. We certainly have a premium product in Ireland. Farmers put in tremendous effort to produce quality, healthy and safe food. It is essential we work in every way we can to ensure we are targeting the premium markets and getting value for that. That is one of the reasons I am setting up the ombudsman office. I am consulting on that at the moment to try to ensure there is transparency and that we ultimately deliver the maximum income for farmers. That is also why a potential avenue like this needs to be explored to see how it can add value and also empower farmers and the primary producer. I would be very open to any way I can assist with looking into the potential of it. On engaging at policy level as a Department, and working with our agencies and particularly Bord Bia, the key objective is trying to ensure we are putting forward and internationally marketing the fact that our product is premium, how it is quality, grass-based and also how it is sustainable and produced in a way that is environmentally friendly and in a way that other countries do not. That is our objective at all times. Certainly there is potential to be explored regarding the capacity of blockchain.

On the task force, as the Deputy knows, work has been ongoing on that since September 2019. He may want to come in with his own supplementary on this and I can update him in more detail on where we are at.

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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I welcome the Minister's comments about the blockchain. This is one of the issues the task force was to examine. However, to be quite honest, I have lost confidence in the task force as a result of the decision that was made with protected geographical indication, PGI, but there is an opportunity for everyone to redeem themselves with blockchain. To give the Minister an example, the Wyoming beef blockchain is breaking the current model of beef production in the US, where farmers are price takers just as they are here. It allows them to receive a premium price for their grass-fed, free-range beef. As I said, blockchain is the offal of tomorrow. Whoever controls the blockchain controls the future route to market and that must be publically owned and controlled, not held in the hands of a few.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Transparency and traceability are key with all the food we produce. Farmers and all in the food supply chain go to great efforts to show where it coming from at a farm level, from both a quality and a safety point of view. Ultimately, that is also very important in trying to ensure we get the maximum price for it when we go to sell it. The potential of any new technologies around this must be explored to see how they can assist us because we have a tremendous platform and agrifood sector to build on and try to develop. The more we can empower the primary producer, the better. I am certainly open to any ideas and suggestions for how we can bring this forward. I have no doubt that our State agencies will be interested in engaging and considering them and their potential as well.

On the task force, it has been meeting and going through in great detail many of the issues that emerged in advance of it being established in late 2019. It is due to meet again very shortly to follow up on the third of its reports.

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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In response the Minister can update me on where the task force is at at the moment and its current work programme. I will leave him with a final point about blockchain. Blockchain has the potential to benefit everyone in the beef sector in this country, from farmers, right through to the middlemen, the processors and those who are selling it directly as an end product. It has the opportunity to disproportionately benefit Irish suckler farmers and give them a decent financial return on the product they produce, which has a potential knock-on impact on our environment and our economy as a whole. However, it is vitally important that it is controlled and owned by the State and not the private sector.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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As I said, I am certainly open to considering this and looking at its potential to benefit farmers. On the point I referred to about the task force, at its most recent meeting, the third report it produced on price composition along the supply chain was presented to task force members. They are considering it and commenting on it and will meet again in early June to take that work forward.