MLA Frew welcomes Agri-Food findings

Mr Frew said: “This is welcome news from the Agri-Food Strategy Board and we will await with anticipation the findings and recommendations from its report. We always talk about how successful the Agri-Food industry is and its potential for growth in the coming years but it is also very important to plan and manage growth in order to get the best effect and the most out of the industry.

“Speaking to Tony O’Neill it is very clear that industry is quite willing to invest many millions of pounds into driving the industry forward. Government must also be in a position to invest and assist and I will be doing everything in my power to make sure Government steps up to the plate on this.

In some sectors advancement it could well mean expansion, or more production. In other sectors it could mean more value added or even better quality as opposed to more produce.

One thing that is clear, we have an industry that is second to none and should be renowned all round the world. It has the potential to support even more families than is the case at present and could help to lift Northern Ireland out of the global slump that we are experiencing. We await the published report from the Agri-Food Strategy Board. “