Have your say in the great agri-debate at food fest
To a county where more than 30% of its inhabitants are employed directly in food production and over 50% are involved in agriculture, the future of how the industry is to develop is up for debate this evening as part of 'The Great Discussion’, part of the WW1 Commemoration week of events.
Run in conjunction with the Taste of Cavan festival, now in its third year, this year organisers have incorporated a whole range of interesting events to tickle anyone’s taste buds.
Taking place this evening (Wednesday), August 6, at the Farnham Arms Hotel in Cavan Town, the discussions 'Organic Food versus Intensive Agriculture’ (7-8pm) and 'The Future of EU and Food’ (8-9pm) will pit some of the best known faces and influential names in agriculture, both nationally and internationally, against each other.
The lively and open discussion will see the likes of IFA’s Richard Moeran and Alo Mohan and Gearoid Lynch, chef at the Olde Post Inn, debate the merits for and against organic or intensive farming; while MEP’s Marian Harkin, and the UK Independence Party’s Stuart Agnew will pair off to discuss the EU’s role in developing agricultural policy.
Paddy Connaughton, member of the organising committee behind Taste of Cavan, told The Anglo-Celt that attendees can expect an open and lively exchange of views with the floor then open to the audience to put their questions of the panel.
“World War I effectively marked the beginning of so-called intensive farming. Ireland was the food basket of this time. Since then the methods and indeed the demand on producers has changed. This has itself opened up a wide debate.
“The organic/intensive agriculture, which is chaired by Linda O’Reilly, editor at The Anglo-Celt, should be very interesting. There is a lot of attention on that at the moment, and the question it poses as to which route producers should go down, organic and keep things small, or press on with more intensive scale.
“It’s all about getting people interested. More and more people are taking an interest in food and where it comes from, how it is produced,” Mr Connaughton said.
The future of EU and food
The discussion on 'The Future of EU and Food’, to be chaired by Damien O’Reilly of RTÉs Countrywide programme is also hotly anticipated, especially with Mr Agnew, who’s party is renowned for expressing Eurosceptic sentiment.
However, the party’s influence on a European scale and in the UK, where they have MEPs elected from both Wales and Scotland and a toehold in Local Government in Northern Ireland, is ever increasing.
Mr Agnew, a farmer himself, says people might be surprised at what he has to say on food production and the EU. “Perhaps that is why I was asked!” he says simply.
The possibility of stronger ties between Ireland and the UK, a traditional trading partner, is always an option he believes in ensuring that the markets avoid being flooded with cheaper imports.
“UK and Ireland are leading grass growers in Europe. If they were prepared to use new plant breeding methods they might be able to fend off cheap imported red meat,” he argues.
Event line-up
The WWI Commemorations run from Monday, August 4 to 10; while Taste of Cavan takes place this Friday and Saturday, August 8-9, with highlights including 80 food producers from the region exhibiting their wares, tastings and cookery demonstrations by Irish Restaurant Awards Best Chef, Neven Maguire and Michelin star chef Richard Corrigan of the famed Corrigan’s Mayfair in London. The 'no salt chef’ Brian McDermott, Máire Dufficy from Bord Bia, Gearoid Lynch from the Olde Post Inn, Fergus Murphy from Murph’s Bistro, Shane Smith from Fallon & Byrne and Adrian Martin from the Craft Butchers of Ireland will also be present, as will Clodagh McKenna and Rachel Allen.
See www.thisiscavan.ie for the full line-up.