Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)
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Question 424: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the supports available for Artisan food producers; if he has a strategic plan to develop their indigenous product on the national and international market. [24230/12]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The potential of the artisan food sector was identified in the Food Harvest 2020 report, our blueprint for ' smart, green growth' of the food industry

To build on the success of the artisan sector, the Report recommends that my Department works in conjunction with Bord Bia, Teagasc and other Departments and agencies to encourage an entrepreneurial approach to small start-up food businesses and artisan producers; to engage in action to promote sustainable and locally embedded food procurement policies and systems; to promote and broaden opportunities, including local markets, for consumers and visiting tourists to purchase local food and to conserve and promote distinctive local food traditions at EU level and to work with bodies such as the TASTE Council and Slow Food.

A range of services and supports are available to Artisan food producers from national and local development agencies.

Some specific targeted supports are the Bord Bia Vantage suite of services for small speciality food business www.bordbiavantage.ie including advice on markets, routes to market, market trends and some marketing grants. Bord Iascaigh Mhara provides seafood product development support and Teagasc provides specialist advice and courses in addition to technology development support for food Artisans as part of its Technology Support Programme for the food processing sector provided in partnership with Enterprise Ireland, Bord Bia and other national and regional food development organisations.

On foot of the recommendations in Food Harvest, Bord Bia, Enterprise Ireland and Teagasc recently combined to establish a new Programme to accelerate the development of export led Food Start Up companies called Foodworks (www.foodworksireland.ie). In total, nine regional events were held since the end of March to inform local companies and approximately 330 promoters about the Programme, including those with artisan businesses who are interested in developing an export led Food Business. Enterprise Ireland is also working with the County Enterprise Boards and the local Leader companies to identify artisan companies who have the ambition and capability to export, scale and create jobs in their region

My own Department is funding the 2011/2012 UCC Diploma in Specialty Food Production and together with Bord Bia is currently running a series of Regional Food Showcases in conjunction with national and local development agencies which give artisan and specialty food producers an opportunity to exhibit their products to key purchasing managers from the retail, foodservice and distribution sectors in their region. The next regional showcase will be held on 21st May in Athlone for counties in the Border, Midland and West region.

The Rural Development Programme of the CAP provides support for small scale artisan food businesses at an early stage of product development to enable the marketing and promotion of their speciality niche food products. Assistance for the development of Farmers Markets is available under its Village Renewal and Development measure. Support for both Farmers Markets and artisan food products is delivered through LEADER (Details of Local Action Groups are on the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government website). Last week, I announced the approval of three new farmers markets to join the now 43 Markets in 17 Counties who hold the Farmers Markets Good Practice Standard. Farmers markets are often the initial route to market of the artisan food producer. They connect producers and consumers in a short supply chain, providing access to a range of locally produced artisan and craft foods. In this respect selling in a farmers market can provide a relatively low cost way of assessing the market for a product and developing some skill in the marketing arena.

My Department recently lodged an application with the European Commission to seek EU recognition of the unique characteristics of the Waterford Blaa for registration as a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI). If successful, this will complement the existing four Irish Quality products currently registered under this scheme, the others being: Connemara Hill Lamb, Timoleague Brown Pudding, Imokilly Regato and Clare Island Salmon. The protected geographical indications quality schemes can create valuable market opportunities for artisan producers and my Department, in conjunction with Bord Bia, will be running an information session for producers on these schemes on 21 May in Athlone.