John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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322. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way in which the Food Vision 2030 target to increase tillage production will be supported; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51626/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The new stakeholder strategy for the Irish agri-food sector, Food Vision 2030, was launched by An Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD, myself and Ministerial colleagues on 3rd August.

The vision of the new Strategy is that Ireland will become a "World Leader in Sustainable Food Systems" over the next decade. Food Vision provides a framework within which more detailed plans and processes on the wide range of issues facing the sector will be progressed and developed, overseen by an implementation committee. Some 200 actions under 22 goals are proposed, guided by four high-level missions:

1. A Climate Smart, Environmentally Sustainable Agri-Food Sector

2. Viable and Resilient Primary Producers with Enhanced Well-Being

3. Food that is safe, nutritious and appealing: trusted and valued at home and abroad

4. An Innovative, Competitive and Resilient Agri-Food Sector, driven by Technology and Talent.

Food Vision states that the tillage and horticulture sectors are the most carbon efficient sectors of Irish agriculture and it is important that the area under cultivation in these sectors is at least retained, with an ambition to increase both.

Although there is no specific target to increase tillage production, Food Vision 2030 acknowledges the importance of the tillage sector as it provides high quality grain to the animal feed industry, and straw for feeding and bedding, while also making a significant contribution to the food and drinks sectors in the form of malting barley, milling wheat and oats for the breakfast cereals industry.

Action 27 in Mission 2 (Viable and Resilient Primary Producers with Enhanced Well-Being) states that Stakeholders will work to develop the sector to take advantage of potential growth in: 1) high value output (malting barley, wheat, oats and rye) to distilling and brewing; 2) high value food markets such as oats (particularly organic oats), oils and salad & chipping potatoes; 3) meeting domestic protein crop demand for livestock diets.

The Department and I will continue to work with the sector and to provide supports as appropriate. The success of Food Vision 2030 will depend on effective implementation and oversight. For this reason, a Monitoring and Implementation Framework is included in the Strategy. This highlights areas for collaboration and partnership within the sector but also with key external stakeholders.