Ministers have been dealt a blow following the Environmental Pillar’s decision to resign from the Agri-Food 2030 strategy discussions.
It emerged that the coalition of environmental groups had withdrawn from the committee after deciding the draft strategy was “inadequate” to meet the social and environmental challenges.
The pillar is a national coalition of 32 environmental groups including An Taisce, the Irish Wildlife Trust and Friends of the Earth.
EP co-ordinator Karen Ciesielski said: “This industry-led Agri-Food 2030 Committee and draft strategy is on an entirely different book, let alone page, when it comes to our intensive model of agriculture.”
“It fails on so many fronts, and we cannot put our name behind the perpetuation of the environmental crises we have highlighted time and time again,” she added.
Headed by the economist Tom Arnold, the committee, was established by the Department of Agriculture, to provide a critical role in determining the future of Irish food production and farming.
Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue and Ministers of State Pippa Hackett and Martin Heydon expressed regret at the EP’s decision.
“We sincerely hope the Pillar will reconsider that decision and engage in the process as we believe it has an important role to play in the development to play in the development of this policy,” they added.
The soon to be published Agri-Food 2030 Strategy will serve as a follow-up to Food Wise 2025.
LSL News.