Summary of ideas submitted in the Agriculture and Food category…

• Produce all products organically.
• Establish an Irish brand to go to market and to attract tourists.
• Introduce a high tax on unhealthy food.
• Self sufficiency in terms of fruit and vegetables.
• Refocus on food hygiene standards and regulations to bring them closer to pharmaceutical standards.
• Distribute land in parks as allotments to people interested in growing food (preferably organic) for two purposes: their own use, and selling of surplus into food market
• Allow GM crops to be grown widespread for the consumer market.
• “Ireland-Organic” - a new body/ a new brand to support the production of quality food and to market this product at home and abroad.
• Defaulting land backs could be returned to local authorities and used as allotments. Produce could be sold at local farmers markets.
• Grow more fruit and vegetables in Ireland. therefore reducing imports.
• Create Ireland into a fully organic producing island.
• Community gardens - produce sold in farmers markets/ local shops, also surplus used in community meeting spaces cookery skills, training, cafés etc
• Vacant factory space built from IDA projects could be used by local farmers to sell produce.
• Ban import of fruit and vegetable which we could be producing in Ireland.
• Stop grants and subsidies to farmers for non production of certain foods.
• Encourage the set up of an industry of brewing of craft beers.
• Produce more cheeses, grow our own flowers - don’t import - and grow butter beans.
• Biofuels.
• Berry production.
• Tax incentives to farmers to get into organic business/food production.
• Divert money from the Kyoto fund to forestry.
• Establish a premium oyster production business in Ireland.
• Produce good quality thermal underwear.
• Markets area in Dublin’s north Inner city should be used as a market area to supply only Irish produced goods.
• Start developing and exploring all the food products that Ireland can produce from the ground, i.e. all the by products from agriculture.
• For imported meat to meet the same standards as Irish meat.
• Establish Ireland as a centre of excellence for equine training and education.
• Use our wool resources and provide incentives for more creation of wool and fleece products.
• Invest in agriculture and expand our export market for agriculture products beyond Europe.
• For the Government to issue a book based on budget cooking - meals suitable for families living on a budget.
• Provide motivation and incentives for farmers to produce more.
• Farm subsidies should be based on quality and environmental measures.
• When developing roads, purchase land at agricultural prices.
• Run markets and evening classes in community halls.
• Build a new sugar plant, generating construction jobs, plant fabrication work as well as rail improvements (needed when the plant is operational). It would give us energy security, it would be a clean renewable fuel, it would generate sustainable jobs and ultimately could become an export for the country.