Agri Aware appeals to shoppers to support Irish farmers and food producers this Christmas

• Farming, the food sector and related service industries deliver an estimated 300,000 jobs in the Irish economy
• 85% of the public believe that Irish farmers provide quality, safe, traceable food at an affordable price for Irish consumers
• 88% of Irish people say they try to buy Irish food to support Irish farmers

Agri Aware, the independent Irish agri-food educational body, is asking consumers to support the Irish agri-food industry by buying quality and sustainably produced Irish food this Christmas.

Pictured at the launch of Agri Aware’s Christmas radio campaign, urging consumers to buy Irish produce and to communicate the importance of the reformed Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in delivering quality and sustainably produced food, is Ella McCarthy, aged 3 from Sandyford, Dublin.

Launching its “Buy Irish” food campaign, Agri Aware’s Chairman, Richard Moeran appealed to consumers to fill their shopping baskets with the best of Irish produce this festive season.

“Source a high quality Irish turkey, stay with our traditional Irish vegetables and make sure your roast potatoes are home grown” Mr. Moeran said.

1 in 7 Irish jobs are in the agri-food industry.  Farming, the food sector and related service industries deliver an estimated 300,000 jobs in the Irish economy, with exports contributing almost €10 billion to the Irish economy. Meanwhile, research carried out earlier this year by Ipsos MRBI, on behalf of Agri Aware, found that 85% of the public believe that Irish farmers provide quality, safe, traceable food at an affordable price for Irish consumers and 88% of Irish people say that they try to buy Irish food to support Irish farmers.

Agri Aware’s Chairman, Richard Moeran, said “please support our farmers this season and ensure you buy Irish. In doing so, you will support 300,000 jobs in the agri-food and service industry. Buying Irish is the smart choice and will ensure jobs for farmers and food companies in your local community. This guarantees that they can continue to deliver quality, wholesome Irish food to you, the consumer”.

Agri Aware’s Chief Executive, Dr. Vanessa Woods, said that consumers should be aware of the importance of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in delivering the wonderful Irish food that we all enjoy each day. “Irish food is of the highest quality, it is sustainably produced and traceable and it is affordable for consumers, as a result of CAP. Indeed, as Irish people and tourists drive through the Irish countryside this festive season and throughout the year, they will see how CAP delivers a beautiful clean and green landscape and clean waterways, as Irish farmers are custodians of the countryside”.

Agri Aware’s Christmas radio advertisement is part of Agri Aware’s ‘Follow the Farmer’ reformed CAP communication campaign and is currently running on national and local radio stations. It features Agri Aware’s Chairman, Richard Moeran, and Chief Executive, Dr. Vanessa Woods.