Students of food and agriculture at six third-level colleges from across Ireland will gather in Queen’s University Belfast for the fifth Annual Great Agri-Food Debate on Thursday 27 February 2020. The debate is a joint initiative between Dawn Meats & McDonald’s and this is the first year the competition will be held in Northern Ireland.

Students will debate subsidies, climate change and gender balance in farming. Participants from Queen’s will be joined by five other third-level colleges; University of Limerick, University College Dublin, College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE), Dundalk Institute of Technology and last year’s winners Waterford Institute of Technology.

The six motions are:

  • Precision agriculture is the only viable future to feed 10 billion people.
  • The gender inequality issue in the agri food industry has been solved.
  • Today’s vegan climate solutions will be the deserts of tomorrow.
  • Zero waste to landfill is no big deal – waste prevention is the only conversation we should be having.
  • The impact of African Swine Fever is a wake-up call for everybody on the risks associated with intensive production of protein and a further reason to encourage sustainable grass-based production system.

    • The judging panel will include Nina Prichard from McDonald’s; Deike Potzel, German ambassador to Ireland; Pamela Byrne, CEO Food Safety Authority of Ireland; Niall Browne, CEO Dawn Meats and Dunbia; Tara McCarthy CEO Bord Bia and representatives from the wider agri food industry.

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