Niamh Kelly

As the general election approaches, it’s crucial to reflect on the agricultural sector’s significance and the necessity of sustained support for our farmers. The dairy industry stands as Ireland’s largest indigenous sector, with approximately 17,500 dairy farms underpinning 55,000 jobs nationwide. In Cork alone, the agri-food sector contributes €4.2 billion annually to the local economy. Specifically, Carbery and the West Cork Co-ops support 1,180 farming families, bolstering rural communities. Despite these substantial economic contributions, the average dairy herd size remains modest, at about 92 cows per farm. The nitrates derogation permits farmers to maintain higher stocking rates, however this allowance comes with stringent environmental obligations. Farmers benefiting from the derogation must adhere to enhanced measures to protect water quality and are subject to more frequent inspections. Any further reduction in the derogation limit could render farming financially unviable for the average Carbery farming family. The agricultural sector is proactively implementing and investing in sustainable practices. Nonetheless, political and governmental support is vital to ensure the sector’s longevity. We appreciate the commitments from politicians and parties to uphold the nitrates derogation and support our farmers. Collectively, we must champion family farms, secure family incomes, and safeguard the future of our rural communities.

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Last week was actually pretty important for a number of big Irish companies, real companies with huge impact on the domestic economy. In the Business Post my extended analysis of Kerry Group’s decision to sell its dairy business to its founding co-op for a total of €500 million. Important for all sides on the deal, but also very significant for Ireland’s dairy industry and its long term survival in an era when sustainability is perhaps the biggest challenge. There's been an incredible amount of wealth generated for people in Kerry over the years and more on the way. https://lnkd.in/e5Nvbd8n

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The future of farming

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Great spotlight by RTE Countrywide on changing profile of climate impacts on agriculture currently on Radio 1 highlights a hidden cost to food production. These sights can be seen all over Europe year after year. The big question for government and EU is, who pays for the increased production costs? The citizen wants to support the farmer but the consumer wants cheap food! Quite a paradox of dilemmas! 🌾🌍 #ClimateChange #Agriculture #FoodProduction #RTECountrywide #RTERadio1 #costofliving

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📢 The Food Reformulation Task Force and Healthy Ireland are encouraging food businesses of all sizes, including #caterers, #SMEs and the #foodservice sector, to reduce the amount of calories, sugar, saturated fat and salt in food. ✔️ This will ensure better food choices are available to consumers in Ireland. 👉 Learn how to take your first steps towards improving the nutrient content of your food for your customers here: https://ow.ly/Pszz50RJNSr Healthy Ireland Local Government Department of Health - Ireland #foodindustry #food #cooperation #foodsafety #FoodReformulation

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Today the Irish 🇮🇪 Government announces its plans for Budget 2025 💰, by Jack Chambers and Paschal Donohoe, historically on budget day the excise duty on alcohol has been raised, with the stated objective to raise the price of alcohol to help reduce consumption. All indications are that excise duty on alcohol will most likely remain unchanged into today's budget. However where did the concept and rationale for "excise duty" come from? The first taxes on alcohol in Europe date back to Antiquity. The Romans, for example, levied a tax on the sale of wine. During the Middle Ages, alcohol taxes were often used to finance wars and crusades. Excise on alcohol in its current format in Europe, has been around since the late 15th century and was borrowed from Middle Dutch "echijns", "excijs"  meaning 'excise on wine or beer. As with so many government taxes, excise on alcohol was created as a "temporary measure", which quickly became a permanent tax and was initally used to fund military activities. In Britain, it is notable that the introduction of new duties coincides with Britain’s involvement in major military conflicts. The creation of malt duties in 1697 was rationalised as providing funding for wars with France and the introduction of hops duties in 1711 coincided with the War of the Spanish Succession. Hikes in existing duties frequently coincided with major military conflicts too. Beer duties went up during the War of the Grand Alliance (1689-1697), the rate of duty imposed on strong beer increased sharply during the Seven Years’ War (1756-1763) and duties on beer, malt and hops all rose steeply during the wars with Revolutionary and Napoleonic France (1792-1815). ‘Malt War Duty’ helped pay for the Crimean War. Excise duty on alcohol is now focused as both on significant source of government revenue and positioned as a tax on alcohol consumption and increasing it, means increased price for consumers, and hopefully lower demand. Excise taxes on alcohol are a hot topic today. Some countries, such as France, want to increase taxes to reduce alcohol consumption and its harmful effects on public health. Other countries, such as the United Kingdom, want to lower taxes to stimulate the economy. #alcohol #exciseduty #tax #budget2025 Lars Jensen Paul Villis Jean Noel Ortal Kristof König Jean-Philippe Delforge Linda Chatton Carol Dunne Gwyneth Kelly Michelle Osagie Will Keating Francois Sonneville Noel Anderson Daragh Cuskelly Erika Minaguchi Ian Chesworth

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📢 Join us tonight at 8pm for the #MilkPriceMonthly with Stephen Arthur, Chair of the Irish Farmers Association Dairy Committee and farmer from Wicklow! We’ll talk to Stephen about the cost of compliance, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Bord Bia - The Irish Food Board, the new #sustainability pressures and more. 🙌 Register for FREE now on Agri Insider   🐮 Everyone in #dairy benefits from Concept Dairy™ 🚀 !   #agritech #agrispec #agriculturetechnology

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👀 Around 4 in 10 Irish #Dairy Farmers had an average income of less than €30,000 in 2023 (Source: Teagasc National Farm Survey 2023). Aisling O'Brien reports on the Teagasc Survey results, here are some key takeaways:   📉 Income Decline: The significant drop in average incomes was due to sharply lower milk prices, reduced milk production, and high production costs. 🐄 Milk Production: On a per hectare basis, average milk production decreased by 4 percent year-on-year to 11,669 litres. 💰 High Costs: Total production costs remained high on dairy farms, dropping just 1% from the very high costs in 2022. 💸 Investment Drop: Average investment on dairy farms in 2023 was €43,417, down 13% from the previous year. Times are hard for farmers. That’s why it’s crucial to address farmer #EconomicSustainability. Farmers need control over their milk price to better manage margins, plan for the future, and ensure a sustainable livelihood. 📰 Read the full Agriland Media article here 👇   https://lnkd.in/exWj64gp

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The Irish dairy sector, which has been a significant success in the agri-economy over the past decade, is facing potential contraction. Recent announcements of voluntary redundancies and closures by Tirlán and Lakeland Dairies signal restructuring amid challenging conditions. Factors contributing to this include reduced milk production, lower global milk prices, and stringent environmental regulations. While demand for dairy is set to grow, Ireland’s ability to meet this demand is in question due to these constraints, despite being one of the world's most carbon-efficient producers. For more details, read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/g-jrXc6B

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In Part 6 of our #DairyKnowledgeSeries, our CEO, Diarmaid Mac Colgáin, looks at what’s happening in Ireland, covering: 📉 Milk prices: Farmers are barely breaking even. Input costs remain high, and dairy farmers are feeling the squeeze. 💶The Cost Of Labour: Calculations from the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association - ICMSA found that the average dairy farmer is earning €5.76 (Source: Irish Farmers Journal 09/06/24). Yet since 1 January 2024, the national minimum wage is €12.70 per hour (Source: Citizens Information). So dairy farmers are now earning less than half the minimum wage 😮 🚨 The Future of Irish Dairy: the average farmer age is 58. But the tight margins & volatility are impacting the industries appeal to the younger generation. Succession planning is now more critical than ever. 📈 High Ingredient Prices: which mean that animal fats are often replaced with alternative products such as #Palmoil, Coconut oil etc. 🐄 Challenges Ahead for Irish Dairy Farmers: #Brexit, Interest Rates, and #sustainability costs are shaping the future. We're committed to tackling the cost of sustainability, but with consumers not footing the bill, the question remains—who will? 🌍 #Dairy #DairySector #DiaryIndustry #Farming

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A report into the progress of the Food Vision 2030 Strategy has found 9% of the actions outlined are completed, as of the end of 2023. Read More: https://bit.ly/3REMfaJ #irishfood #foodvision2030 #agrifood

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The Advertising Standards Authority of Ireland (ASAI) has recently upheld a complaint against the National Dairy Council (NDC) for "greenwashing" dairy in a TV advertisement. The ad claimed Irish milk was "naturally nutritious, sustainably produced," but complaints argued that the Irish dairy industry contributes to environmental damage and greenhouse gas emissions. 🥛 This incident highlights the importance of scrutinizing green claims and combating greenwashing. 🌱 While Irish farming groups often tout the carbon efficiency of dairy and beef production, data from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) paints a more complex picture. Irish milk has a higher emissions intensity compared to many EU countries, and beef production is middling. The growth of the dairy herd has led to increased absolute emissions, with enteric fermentation (methane burped out by cows) accounting for a significant portion of Ireland's agricultural emissions. Dairy alone contributes around 17% of the country's overall emissions. 🐄🌍  Acknowledging the challenge of reducing emissions while milk production increases, it's essential to explore sustainable alternatives and practices in livestock farming.  At #FoodRevolution2024 we will not only cover green claims and sustainable livestock farming, but we will go beyond, to explore a wide range of innovations shaping the future of food.  Join us as we explore the challenges, opportunities, and solutions that can drive positive changes in the industry. Let's make a difference in the way we produce and consume food. Register today and be a part of the transformation!  #greenclaims #sustainablefarming  

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Our flagship annual Irish Beer Market report is here! The report highlights the key trends and positive developments happening in the Irish beer market in 2023 from the strong growth of non-alcohol beer driven by consumer demand and the great innovation and availability by drinks producers as they advertise and promote these products in a responsible manner to the falling per capita consumption levels, down 11% since 2019. Per capita alcohol consumption in Ireland is now less than the UK and most European countries, including Spain, France, and Germany. Despite the challenges also called out in the report such as high excise levels and the increasing cost of doing business, the Irish drinks industry is resilient and adaptable, and Drinks Ireland | Beer will continue to support our members in the continued growth of the drinks sector, both nationally and internationally. The full report can be accessed here https://lnkd.in/eHHAY84C #drinkresponsibly #drinksindustry #Ireland #beer #nonalcoholbeer

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S3 Ep24: Building a Billion Dollar Global Brand with Colin Westcott-Pitt, Global Chief Brand Officer of Glanbia Performance Nutrition (GPN). Check it out here https://lnkd.in/eaX_tRgT or listen here https://lnkd.in/etxJnqSe Glanbia is an incredible Irish success story - it has operations in 32 countries with leading market positions in sports nutrition, cheese, dairy ingredients & more. Glanbia products are sold or distributed in over 130 countries. Glanbia Performance Nutrition (GPN) has a portfolio of about 9 brands, like Slim Fast and the hugely successful Optimum Nutrition which Glanbia acquired in 2008 and it achieved over $1.1 Billion in revenue in 2023. Earlier this year in a video posted about annual results CEO Hugh McGuire spoke about the role of marketing and brand in growth, always great to hear CEO's that value marketing's role so publicly. So it is great to speak to Colin about his journey to this role and how he is approaching brand led growth in over 90 markets, the complexities of that, which Diplomat Agency has been set up to help brands navigate, and how he approaches global and local needs and nuances. A wonderful episode with wonderful insights and great advice. 12:25 Optimum Nutrition's Success Story 19:19 Partnership with McLaren F1 23:35 Balancing Global and Local Branding 28:56 Investing in Local Talent 29:52 Learning from Mistakes and Experimentation 31:50 Valuing Brand in Business Strategy 33:48 Conversations with the C-Suite 34:42 Marketing Metrics and Business Goals 37:38 Adapting to Technological Changes 40:18 Maintaining Market Leadership 42:13 Skills for Future Marketers

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Stephen Arthur, Chair of the Irish Farmers Association Dairy Committee, joined us for the May #MilkPriceMonthly. He highlighted the crucial role of sustainable succession in Irish dairying. With the average age of dairy farmers around 59-60, the sector urgently needs to attract the younger generation. A more sustainable future starts with ensuring economic sustainability for farmers! At Concept Dairy™ 🚀, we believe that #sustainability requires financial and economic security for farmers. Farmers can't go green if they're in the red! This is especially true for young farmers lacking the financial reserves to withstand volatility.   At Concept Dairy™ 🚀, we are passionate about transforming the dairy supply chain and creating an equitable and transparent market for all: #dairyfarmers, processors and dairy buyers. Watch the full episode for FREE on Agri Insider:👉 https://lnkd.in/emwvEPDy Make sure to join us next Monday 10th June, for the June Milk Price Monthly for more dairy market insights 🙌 #Dairy #Farmers #AgriBusiness

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It's that time of the month where food businesses watch in bated breath as the monthly enforcement's and the reasons behind them are published online. May seen a reduction of more than 50% from April in enforcement's, showing a positive trend in adherence to food safety legislation. As we head into the busy summer season, vigilance is key to prevent closures occuring nationwide as well as avoidable reputational damage. Read more below. #foodsafety #pr #kanocommunications #fsai

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