2 March 2023 - Flipbook - Page 38
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BUSINESS
FARMWEEK
JANUARY 28 2021
Focus on the future of our vitally
important farming and food sectors
I
T’S a great privilege to be invited
to take part in a major discussion
on the long-term future of food
and farming, our most important
industry and one which I believe
will play an even greater role than it
already does in the local economy
and overall community wellbeing.
It is, of course, the only industry
with a genuine engagement in
virtually every part of Northern
Ireland and has the potential to
make an important contribution to
the global debate on the future of
farming and food production.
The online Food, Farming and Land
Convention takes place on February
9-10 and will feature a series of panel
Food for
thought
Michele Shirlow
Chief Executive of
Food NI
discussions on key themes designed
to engage everyone in the industry.
This important event will hear
from farmers, producers, and
policymakers such as Michael
Fakhri, the UN Special Rapporteur
on the Right to Food. The dialogue,
From Food NI’s point of view, we are keen to
support the growth in efcient and innovative
food and drink production for international
markets and to build closer links between
farming, production and retailing to ensure the
protable growth of both.”
L
ANYON Group has launched a new
podcast focused on the companies,
people and issues within the
Northern Ireland agri-food sector.
The Fifth Quarter podcast, in
association with Armagh City, Banbridge
and Craigavon Borough Council, will go live
tomorrow (Friday, January 29) as the rst in
a series of monthly episodes.
It will get beneath the skin of one of the
Province’s most important industries and
explore the added value – or as it is known in
the industry, the “fth quarter” – which gives
those businesses the edge, hence the title.
Hosted by Lanyon Senior Account Director
David Elliott, the rst episode focuses on
life after Brexit and features interviews with
Devenish Chief Executive Richard Kennedy,
Northern Ireland Food and Drink Association
Executive Director Michael Bell and Caroline
McArdle, the founder of Lurgan artisan
chocolate business Cobden and Brown.
The podcast will showcase the rich
tapestry of sole traders, farmers, SMEs and
large rms that make up this critical sector.
It will chart the challenges and the
opportunities, the success stories and the
lessons learned from the key personalities
who are the driving force behind agrifood in Northern Ireland – from company
owners and chief executives, to academics,
futurists, scientists, land owners and artisan
producers.
This podcast will provoke discussion
around the key issues and challenges facing
the industry, as well as shining a light on
the good news and success stories and
celebrating our passion for food and drink.
Most importantly, it will highlight the
critical role that the agri-food sector plays
in driving the Northern Ireland economy
through export, innovation, R&D and the
outstanding quality for which our produce is
renowned.
Katie Doran, Partner at Lanyon, said: “At
Lanyon, we have a close relationship with
the agri-food sector as well as in depth
knowledge and experience of its challenges
and opportunities.
“My own family background was in the
which is open to everyone wishing
to log into www.foodfarmingland.
co.uk/convention21, will examine
the challenges developing from
climate change, nature loss, the
decline in agricultural land, what
better meat and dairy implies,
changes in trading arrangements
and the threat of future pandemics
like Covid-19.
The organisers, which include the
Nature Friendly Farming Network,
Belfast Food Network, Food, Farming
and Countryside Commission, RSPB
Northern Ireland and Northern
Ireland Environment Link, are
keen to see how perceived and
real threats can be transformed
into decisive opportunities to
create “systemic change in food and
farming”.
Expert panels will address topics
such as Better Meat and Dairy;
Policy and Practice in Production;
The Right to Food; On-Farm Nature
Based Solutions; and Nature Means
Business.
The event, of course, comes at a
time when concern about the future
of the planet is top of the agenda,
especially among young people.
From Food NI’s point of view, we
are keen to support the growth in
efcient and innovative food and
drink production for international
markets and to build closer links
between farming, production and
retailing to ensure the protable
growth of both and their very
positive role in the wider community
and economy.
We want to see greater focus, for
instance, on local produce among
local retailers.
We’d be keen to see the base of
land friendly farming here expanded
to explore new management and
different product opportunities and
thereby reduce our dependence on
imported vegetables in particular.
Our aim is how best to help this
essential local industry, which
employs around 100,000 people
across an extensive supply chain
and generates £5 billion annually
to the local economy, to meet the
challenges of sustainability and
continue to prosper.
Interestingly, the convention
coincides with UTV’s splendid Rare
Breed – A Farming Year series,
which runs from January through to
April and has long showcased the
contribution of farming and food to
the local community.
As well as the talents and
dedication of farming families to the
community, the series showcases
the adaptability of our farmers
and their families, which produces
innovative food products.
Many of our most successful
food companies began life on
farms across Northern Ireland and
are putting prots back into their
businesses and farms. Their focus is
increasingly on sustainability in both
short and long terms.
The current series highlights
how they are grappling with the
formidable twin and on-going
challenges of Covid-19 and Brexit.
Our farmers and producers are
steadily overcoming the threats and
will survive to play an even more
important role in the local economy.
I urge you to tune in every Tuesday.
Lanyon launches agri-food
podcast The Fifth Quarter
LEFT: Lanyon Senior Account Director and
host of the Fifth Quarter Podcast David
Elliott.
meat industry and I have always had a
passion for the sector with so many strong
relationships with producers across
Northern Ireland and beyond.
“Jonathan Ireland, my business partner,
has worked across the sector with food
producers and processors right through to
large retail.
THE FIFTH QUARTER
Podcast by Lanyon available on iTunes
“Last but by no means least, at Lanyon we
are very fortunate to have our own resident
agri-food specialist, David Elliott, who still
manages his own farm. Between us, we cover
all aspects of the sector, from ‘eld to fork’.
“As the sector faces into a period of
transformation due to climate change as
well as Brexit, we want to bring all of our
knowledge and expertise from reputation
management to crisis communications to
the sector and we have been working on
developing our agri-food sector team for
some months.
“This podcast is an exciting opportunity
to create discussion and debate as well as
showcase some of the sector’s achievements
and cutting edge developments.”
David Elliott, Lanyon’s host of the Fifth
Quarter Podcast, said: “The Fifth Quarter
Podcast will give due prominence to arguably
our most important sector, one which is very
close to my heart.
“We have some of the best producers,
processors, chefs and retailers to be found
anywhere in the world and it is time we
celebrated them properly; this podcast
promises to do just that.
“We’ll be focusing on a different issue
each week, whether it’s Brexit, agri-tech or
sustainability, and talking to the key gures
in the industry to nd out what makes them
and this sector tick.
“We’ll also be introducing a host of unsung
heroes who day in and day out work hard to
make sure we are able to produce a feast of
top class produce and who are quite simply
the backbone of this industry.”
n To listen to the Fifth Quarter Podcast
head to iTunes. Available from tomorrow
(Friday, January 29).