Head of food and farming advocacy body announced

Tom Cronin has been appointed as the head of Our Food Connects – formally Project Connect, an umbrella body set up to advocate for and promote food and farming.

Cronin will commence as executive director in mid-September. This appointment is the first official managerial position filled in the Our Food Connects project. Further appointments are expected in the coming weeks.

He has worked in management for two-decades in the sustainability, food and beverage and communications sectors.

Cronin was previously head of stakeholder and client services at a sustainability services firm, where he led sustainability-centred commercial and marketing activities.

Some of the clients he worked with include IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland. His career also includes managerial roles at Green Isle Foods and GSK Sports Nutrition, as well as communication work with Bank of Ireland.

Cronin has said he will make engaging directly with stakeholders across the agri-food sector to discuss challenges and opportunities a priority.

“Ireland’s food industry is one of our greatest national assets. Its future will be defined by our ability to work together across the value chain — from farm to fork — to protect our land, water and communities.

“And by how we engage with the Irish public to deepen their understanding and appreciation for the sector. I’m looking forward to leading Our Food Connects in creating that future,” he added.

Over the past 12 months, Our Food Connects has been led by an interim board.

Funding for Our Food Connects will total around €4.1m, the Irish Farmers Journal understands.

Close to €1.4m of this total will come from the meat processors, with around €1.5m being provided by the dairy sector.

The remaining €1.2m will be contributed by the farm organisations, the drinks industry, the horticulture sector and pig processors.