Minister McConalogue and Minister Poots visit Devenish Research farm

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue TD, was joined by his Northern Ireland counterpart, Minister Edwin Poots MLA, for a tour of the Devenish research farm in Dowth, Co Meath last week.

Minister McConalogue said:

“Led by its chairman Owen Brennan and CEO Richard Kennedy, Devenish is a truly world-class and pioneering company investing strategically at the cutting edge of sustainable agricultural research, something I very much welcome".

The Ministers were brought through some of Devenish’s research project from its journey towards net carbon zero, the role of animal nutrition in improving human health, using the Omega 3 natural enrichment as well as the EU Marie Curie Project, Heartland. The Minister saw first-hand, the incredible history of farming at the site which goes back thousands of years and which is now aligning with cutting edge research such as using multispecies swards to improve both environmental and economic performance of beef and lamb production.

“The research Devenish is leading places Ireland and Irish agriculture at the very centre of the global push for a more sustainable food production system. The research being carried out here will ensure that Irish agriculture and farmers continue to be ahead of the curve in delivering safe and sustainable food."

“I was pleased to be able to be joined by Minister Poots at the Devenish farm and it is the latest in a long line of shared initiatives we have engaged in. We both share a commitment to tackling issues of mutual interest in a shared-island approach. Our agriculture sectors are intertwined and by taking a common and collective approach, we are best serving farmers in the Republic of Ireland as well as Northern Ireland."

“Sustainability of the environment and our farm incomes are key to what both Minister Poots and I believe in.”

ENDS