Cork conference to focus on charting a sustainable future for dairy
Professor Alan Kelly, head of School of Food UCC; Professor Paul McSweeney, vice-president for learning and teaching UCC; ICOS president Edward Carr; and Billy Goodburn, ICOS Skillnet, head of learning and development at the launch of the ICOS/UCC conference.
The dairy industry will gather at University College Cork (UCC) for a two-day conference on sustainability in December.
The gathering on December 4 and 5 aims to discuss and demonstrate a sustainable, profitable path for Ireland's dairy industry amid pressing environmental, economic, and regulatory challenges.
The event will be opened by Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Simon Coveney, which is also to be addressed by senior-level figures in Ireland’s agri-food industry from the Department of Agriculture, Teagasc, and more.
The conference is jointly organised by ICOS and UCC and takes place in the Aula Maxima (Great Hall) of the university.
President of ICOS Edward Carr said the event is an "important opportunity for reflection and foresight for our industry".
"In Ireland, we are uniquely positioned to lead the global dairy sector towards a sustainable future. This conference is our platform to identify and showcase how sustainability can be an engine of growth and resilience for our dairy co-ops," he added.
Professor Paul McSweeney, vice president for learning and teaching in UCC, said that Irish dairy farmers and their co-ops are "at the forefront of implementing sustainable practices, ensuring that Irish agriculture contributes to addressing the global challenge of climate change".
"The economic contribution of the dairy sector is profound, creating annual value in the order of €17bn, including exports in excess of €6.5bn, extending its benefits to rural communities and consumers across Ireland and contributing to national and international food security," Mr McSweeney said.
"We must ensure that this continues on a sustainable basis for the future and I very much welcome this timely event to address these opportunities."
The event will explore the main pillars underpinning the dairy industry’s current and future sustainability strategies.
The themes for the conference include climate change and biodiversity; sustainability as a dual imperative and opportunity; and the future of Ireland’s nitrates derogation.
