Jack Bobo
Director of the Food Systems Institute at the University of Nottingham
On the impact of agriculture:
“In many ways, there is nothing we do that has a bigger and more negative impact, but there is nothing more critical for our daily survival. For every dollar you invest in wind and solar, you get less than a dollar back because they are less efficient than fossil fuels. For every dollar, euro or pound that you invest in agriculture, you get 1.43 back every time. There is a positive rate of return. So you have to wonder, would consumers rather pay more for their energy, or less for their food?”
Margaret Berry
Head of Sustainability at the Kepak Group
On the ‘elusive green consumer’
“On the surface, there has, apparently, never been a better time to launch a sustainable offering. Consumers increasingly say they want sustainable products. But the consumer is presenting us with a conundrum because there is a gap between consumer sentiment about sustainability and the consumer action for sustainability. They say they want progress but most aren’t changing their shopping behaviour, nor are they willing to spend more money on sustainable products. While 80 per cent of consumers say they care about sustainability, only 20 per cent are acting on and paying for sustainable product choices. Less than seven per cent are willing to pay a premium for sustainable products, of which grocery retail is two per cent."
Tara McCarthy
Global vice president for ESG, Alltech
ON MEETING OUR EMISSIONS TARGETS
WHILE BEING PROUD OF OUR FOOD-PRODUCTION SYSTEM:
“We export 90 per cent of what we produce, particularly in our beef and dairy, and I have never met an exporter who has gone out apologising for anything. We go out with our best foot forward with the data sets that we have, with the fact that we are premium quality. We are on Michelin star restaurants, we are producing really well, and we are telling the world. Go to the US, Kerrygold is not apologising for anything! It is a premium butter – number-two market share there, and number-one imported butter. I would not get confused with an internal debate that we are having here, and the global impact that that our food industry has.”
Charlie McConalogue
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine
On increasing adoption of vaccines:
“The importance of animal health in relation to profitability and productivity, as well as making sure that we are making the most of the resources we put in, and minimising emissions, is crucial. In relation to the schemes and assistance we are providing, for example the new suckler scheme, we are looking to get a benchmark in relation to IBR in the beef herd, and to see how we can work with Animal Health Ireland to address that. In addition, we are encouraging information exchange and knowledge transfer in relation to the benefits of preventing rather than treating, and continuing to back all our research organisations.”
Jim Bergin
On the current transition in farming:
“I don’t think we can dispute that we haven’t made enough progress [water quality] and that the water quality is what it is. This is the most complex transition that farmers have ever been through and I have been through three transitions prior to this one: the growth in milk and automation back in the 70s; the quota era and 34 years of efficiency and consolidation; and the massive expansion from 2015 to 2021. But I am absolutely convinced that what is presented to farmers at the moment is the most complex subject and transition they have ever faced.”