When is an ombudsman not an ombudsman? This rather cryptic question was put to The Dealer over the weekend.

“When the ombudsman, or should that be non-ombudsman, is dealing with agriculture,” came the witty reply.

By all accounts, the commitment in the Programme for Government to establish a national food ombudsman had to be abandoned after the existing Office of the Ombudsman politely informed the Department of Agriculture that the “ombudsman” moniker was already taken.

Substituting regulator for ombudsman was briefly considered but was then dismissed in preference for the extremely catchy current title – the Office of Fairness and Transparency in the Agricultural Food Supply Chain (or OOFATITAFSC for short).

Let’s hope the new body has as big an impact as it has a name.