Page 15 - Guerin Media Ltd | NPA 2015 Catalogue
P. 15
Message from the Minister for
AGRICULTURE, FOOD
& THE MARINE
I am delighted to contribute to this Catalogue for the National
Ploughing Championships which are taking place in Ratheniska
for the third year running. This is a great venue for this hugely
important event. Of course there have been many other great
venues throughout the country for these wonderful championships
which date back to 1931. Last year’s record attendance of 279,500
people is a reflection of the dedicated work of Anna May Mc Hugh
and her team. No doubt this year will see the same if not increased
numbers and with a bit of luck the weather might come up trumps
making it an even more enjoyable occasion for all the family. I
wholeheartedly congratulate everybody involved in the event.
The Ploughing is a key occasion in the calendar of anybody involved the Irish economy. It is firmly rooted in local rural communities
in agriculture and many who are not. It is particularly interesting such as Ratheniska and at the same time it is rapidly increasing
to note how “the Ploughing” has evolved over the years to include its global reach. While some of you are local I know that many of
such a wide range of activities. It has all of the ingredients to you travel from all corners of the country for the Ploughing. Most
attract people from a wide cross-section of the community, both of you have your local roots somewhere in Ireland and by your
rural and urban. Where else in Ireland would you meet such a continued contribution to the agri-food sector you are facilitating
mixture of people? It is indeed a tribute to the organisers of the and enabling that global reach that is so important for all of us.
annual Ploughing Championships that it has remained so successful It is very appropriate that we get together as locals and enjoy this
and has managed to remain attractive to all ages. It is a uniquely ever popular event, meet with old friends, renew acquaintances,
Irish occasion that is simply second to none. support the ploughing competitions which are the heart of the
festivities, and generally soak up the atmosphere.
Since becoming Minister I have been fortunate to meet and work I would like to commend the local community and a wide variety
with so many people dedicated to increasing the profile of the Irish of support services for their spirit of co-operation and for making
agri-food and marine sectors at global level. Indeed I have met these three days possible.
many such people at the Ploughing Championships over three last
three years. I look forward to attending and to meeting and chatting with many
I believe that Ireland’s agri-food industry is on a sustainable of you.
journey, one that is connecting local communities across the
island to vast and diverse food markets around the globe. I recently Simon Coveney, TD,
launched a ten year programme, Food Wise 2025. It sets out our Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine
vision for the industry to continue along this path of sustainable
growth and recognises the strategic importance of specific market
and consumer insights if emerging global opportunities are to be
fully realised in the decade ahead. Global demand for high quality,
safe and nutritious food continues to grow rapidly and there is ever
increasing demand in particular in emerging markets such as Asia
and Africa.
‘Local Roots Global Reach’ is the key theme of Food Wise 2025. The
agri-food sector is unlike any other given its strategic importance to
15
AGRICULTURE, FOOD
& THE MARINE
I am delighted to contribute to this Catalogue for the National
Ploughing Championships which are taking place in Ratheniska
for the third year running. This is a great venue for this hugely
important event. Of course there have been many other great
venues throughout the country for these wonderful championships
which date back to 1931. Last year’s record attendance of 279,500
people is a reflection of the dedicated work of Anna May Mc Hugh
and her team. No doubt this year will see the same if not increased
numbers and with a bit of luck the weather might come up trumps
making it an even more enjoyable occasion for all the family. I
wholeheartedly congratulate everybody involved in the event.
The Ploughing is a key occasion in the calendar of anybody involved the Irish economy. It is firmly rooted in local rural communities
in agriculture and many who are not. It is particularly interesting such as Ratheniska and at the same time it is rapidly increasing
to note how “the Ploughing” has evolved over the years to include its global reach. While some of you are local I know that many of
such a wide range of activities. It has all of the ingredients to you travel from all corners of the country for the Ploughing. Most
attract people from a wide cross-section of the community, both of you have your local roots somewhere in Ireland and by your
rural and urban. Where else in Ireland would you meet such a continued contribution to the agri-food sector you are facilitating
mixture of people? It is indeed a tribute to the organisers of the and enabling that global reach that is so important for all of us.
annual Ploughing Championships that it has remained so successful It is very appropriate that we get together as locals and enjoy this
and has managed to remain attractive to all ages. It is a uniquely ever popular event, meet with old friends, renew acquaintances,
Irish occasion that is simply second to none. support the ploughing competitions which are the heart of the
festivities, and generally soak up the atmosphere.
Since becoming Minister I have been fortunate to meet and work I would like to commend the local community and a wide variety
with so many people dedicated to increasing the profile of the Irish of support services for their spirit of co-operation and for making
agri-food and marine sectors at global level. Indeed I have met these three days possible.
many such people at the Ploughing Championships over three last
three years. I look forward to attending and to meeting and chatting with many
I believe that Ireland’s agri-food industry is on a sustainable of you.
journey, one that is connecting local communities across the
island to vast and diverse food markets around the globe. I recently Simon Coveney, TD,
launched a ten year programme, Food Wise 2025. It sets out our Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine
vision for the industry to continue along this path of sustainable
growth and recognises the strategic importance of specific market
and consumer insights if emerging global opportunities are to be
fully realised in the decade ahead. Global demand for high quality,
safe and nutritious food continues to grow rapidly and there is ever
increasing demand in particular in emerging markets such as Asia
and Africa.
‘Local Roots Global Reach’ is the key theme of Food Wise 2025. The
agri-food sector is unlike any other given its strategic importance to
15
