Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 12: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the issues most likely to impact on the agriculture and food sector in the context of the current review of the Common Agricultural Policy; the degree to which he intends to ensure that this sector, which is vital to the Irish economy, is adequately provided for and developed in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17004/10]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Common Agricultural Policy will provide the main policy framework for development of the primary agriculture and agri-food industries in Ireland and the EU to 2020 and beyond. Currently the CAP underpins farm income through payments decoupled from production, manages extremes of price volatility through market management instruments and supports investment, environmental and wider rural economy measures under the Rural Development Programme.

Funding arrangements for the CAP are fixed until 2013 under the EU Financial Perspective 2007 to 2013. There will be competing pressures for funds under the new Financial Perspective from 2014 to 2020. This, together with an increasing "green agenda" and conclusion of the WTO Doha Development Agenda (DDA) will bring pressure for further changes to the current arrangements, post 2013. Formal negotiations have yet to begin on the CAP after 2013 although there have been a number of policy debates and informal exchanges on the future direction of agricultural policy. However, it is unlikely that full details of any new arrangements for the CAP will be agreed until late 2012.

I am very conscious of the importance of the EU ensuring security of food supply and recognising the need to maintain family farming in Europe. However, particularly as an exporting country, I am also conscious of the need for competitiveness and innovation. I would wish to see all of these objectives clearly reflected in the new CAP. My overarching aim is for a strong and properly resourced CAP guided by the twin principles of competitiveness and sustainability. Several initiatives are underway to anticipate and prepare for the more competitive environment facing the agri-food sector in the future and to address upcoming challenges facing the sector.

Strategies for the development of a consumer focused, competitive and sustainable agri-food sector capable of meeting the challenges of more liberalised markets and broader societal demands both at home and abroad are already set out in the Agri-vision 2015 report. These strategies identify the delivery of safe, high quality, nutritious food, produced in a sustainable manner for high value markets as the optimum road for the future of the Irish food industry. They span the entire food chain from primary production through processing to market access, which is key to developing export potential.

A high level Committee which I appointed is currently engaged in an in-depth review of strategic policy for the agri-food, forestry and fishing sector looking forward to 2020 to allow it to cope with pressures from the current economic climate, to deal effectively with broader sustainability issues such as climate change, food security and environmental management and to address some structural and other weaknesses that must be addressed if its full potential is to be realised. The Committee is expected to present a report in June of this year.

An inter-Departmental Market Access Group chaired by my Department and comprising representatives from the Departments of Foreign Affairs and Enterprise, Trade and Employment, An Bord Bia, Enterprise Ireland and Bord Iascaigh Mhara is currently engaged in a co-ordinated effort to identify potential market opportunities for the full range of Irish food and beverages, prioritisation of market initiatives and broader access issues.

Bord Bia published a Strategy to boost food exports for the period 2009-2011. The strategy comprises six key priorities to be addressed including enhancing the industry's position on its home market to capitalise on the potential for growth and expansion of exports with a particular emphasis on the Eurozone markets. In delivery of this strategy Bord Bia has implemented a comprehensive set of promotional programmes and services, which have been developed in consultation with industry bearing in mind the impact of the sterling differential on competitiveness. These initiatives, coupled with a proactive policy on my part and that of my Department in relation to evolving market situations, will help to position and consolidate the Irish agri-food sector in the home and global market.