Dairy farming in Ireland is “far less environmentally intense” than that in other countries, according to Bord Bia sector manager for dairy ingredients Margaret Butler.

Describing Irish dairy production as “environmentally benign”, she contextualised this as “versus some of the core dairy competitors Ireland has in southeast Asia and globally”.

Butler was speaking at the launch of Bord Bia's €3.2m promotional campaign for Irish dairy produce in Japan and southeast Asia in Tokyo, Japan, on Thursday.

Addressing some 150 Japanese dairy buyers and stakeholders, she described how Irish dairy farming utilises the “longest grass growing season of the northern hemisphere” where cows are at pasture for “approximately 240 days each year”.

Verification

Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal, the Bord Bia representative said such a grass-fed system is “not the case in many other countries”.

However, she said it is the verification of this grass-fed standard, which is recognised as delivering premium-quality dairy produce, that enables Irish dairy exporters to gain ground in markets such as Japan.

On Bord Bia’s pitch on the environmental credentials of Irish dairy farming to Japanese dairy buyers, Butler said it is “independently verified and [we] can stand over [it]”.

Sustainability required

Describing the appetite for Irish dairy produce in Japan, Butler said: “There are a lot of countries that are maybe at the start of their sustainability journey, but Japan, when you look at it, is probably more advanced than that.

"It’s not the only factor, not the only consideration - clearly product quality and technical capabilities are right up there on top of their list [as well].

“We’re hearing that from our client companies all the time [that] the verification of our grass-fed standard, for example, is key to their messaging for sourcing those premium customers in markets like Japan.”

Traceability

Also speaking in Tokyo on Thursday, Department of Agriculture assistant secretary general Sinéad McPhilips said food safety and traceability are “key priorities” for her department.

She said these allow Ireland to ensure the safety of its dairy products for domestic and international consumers.

Demonstrating a blue card cattle passport on screen for Japanese dairy buyers, McPhilips also outlined the importance of Ireland’s animal health controls and compliance on veterinary medicine use.

She said this is something which Irish farmers and her department take “very seriously”.

She said this record on food safety sets Ireland apart in the world dairy market.

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