April 2014 Agri-News Published by Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture “Our Island, Our Environment, Our Future” Index High Health and “EU rules”: Minister’s introduction 2 a passport to success? Board of Agriculture - 100th Anniversary 2 Too much paperwork – there’s a lot of potential benefit to be gained by improving our Food Security 3 health status to the wider world. See page 4 for more information. Industry Advisory Committee 3 Tynwald approves Meat Plant High Health and “EU rules” 4 refurbishment expenditure 6th Isle of Man Food & Drink Festival 4 Uplands Report 5 The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture has received DEFA at the Agricultural Shows 5 Tynwald’s approval of £1.6 million pounds expenditure to refurbish Countryside Care Scheme 6 the Meat Plant at Tromode. The total cost of the refurbishment Prospects for Agriculture Seminar 7 will come to just over £2million, with an additional £400,000 DEFA Government Laboratory 7 coming from the DEFA “The importance of this facility to the Isle Farmers’ Guide now available on line 7 administered ‘Agricultural Development of Man cannot be overstated. It is essential Fund’ and £200,000 from Isle of Man that we have a plant to meet the demands Farm Diversification Evening 8 Meats. of the Manx food industry and to ensure A positive future for sheep farming? 8 The existing meat plant is now 18 years Food Security and the existence of a self- old and a large amount of equipment reliant food chain. Economically, the plant How the Industry sees the future! within the building is life expired. The provides an important route to market for boilers in particular require urgent local farmers; without it, the only - IOM Meats 9 replacement and the gas used in the alternative is live export. It is also refrigeration units becomes illegal after fundamental to the success of growing the - Paula Creer, Cooilingel Farm, Crosby 9 2014. The landlords (Department of food sector’s contribution to GDP, a target Infrastructure) have also identified the approved by this Court in January 2014. - IOM Creamery 10 need to improve areas within the plant to The Plant has made savings of some £1.4 meet revised animal welfare standards and million pounds since 2008 and this - Laxey Glen Flour Mills 11 Health and Safety at Work obligations refurbishment will allow this efficiency Bovine to Human - Spring has sprung! 12 which will also be upgraded as part of the drive to continue”. refurbishment works. Sheep Dog Trials 12 Phil Gawne MHK, Minister for DEFA said BallaKarran - Boxed lamb 13 Manx Plough to Plate Day 13 Royal Manx Agricultural Show 14 Isle of Man Stay on a Farm 14 DEFA Minster Phil Gawne MHK presents a Manx food hamper Southern Agricultural Show 15 donated by MostlyManx and a Buy Local with MostlyManx Vendor 15 selection of Manx cheese donated by Market Trends 16 IOM Creamery to HRH Princess Anne when she visited DEFA on the 21st January 2014. 2 Manx produce is better than most of our competitors Photograph taken by Anna Kerruish for the Biosphere Vannin Competition Minister’s Introduction It is with great CCS and more focussed on helping the traceability of Manx produce is better pleasure and, I industry to deliver profitable results from than that of most of our competitors, must confess, some the marketplace. giving us an important point of surprise that I find difference. myself writing Recent markets have been uncertain for another introduction producers and processors alike, but these The appointment of Richard Ronan MHK to Agri-News having recent difficulties should be tempered to the Department as retaining my with long-term optimism, with the FAO my new ‘member for position as DEFA predicting that global demand for food is food’ is also timely Minister in the latest set to increase by 60% by 2050. As well following his prompting Government reshuffle. There’s a lot of as global demand for food, Food Security us to look at ways to work still to do to achieve the ‘level is an important consideration, particularly increase the value of playing field’ I promised to deliver with for a small Island nation and retaining food production to the your assistance and, so long as I remain the ability to produce food will become economy. I welcome as Minister, I will give my total an increasingly important consideration. Richard to the commitment to delivering this important It was therefore particularly pleasing to Department and look forward to his objective. receive unanimous support from Tynwald involvement in this important project. for financial support for Isle of Man Meats The industry has undergone to deliver the significant refurbishment I must also pass on my gratitude to Mrs unprecedented change in my time as planned for the meat plant. This work Cannell and Mrs Beecroft for their Minister, with the introduction of the gives the plant a further 15 years of life contributions to the Department. Mrs Countryside Care Scheme being perhaps and gives the industry time to adjust to Beecroft in particular took a keen interest the biggest change to the industry in a the rapidly changing market place, before in agriculture and I know she will be a generation. We are at the halfway point we invest in any new facilities. keen supporter of industry initiatives in in the transition to flat-rate support and future. the Scheme is working broadly as I am pleased to be able to offer a level of envisaged. However, there is still much continuity and support to the industry This continues to be a time of great work to be done in ensuring a positive through this period of change and am change for your industry and you have future for farming. Looking to the future, confident that we can capitalise on the my 100% commitment to help you as the role of the Department will perhaps growing demand for food. I firmly believe best I can to have profitable, sustainable be less concerned with tinkering with the that Manx produce can compete with the and productive food businesses! very best and the provenance and Board of Agriculture – 100th Anniversary The first meeting of the Board of estate of Mr Nobles), John James - improvement to livestock Agriculture for the Isle of Man, appointed Christian elected by the Northern - experimental plots under the Agricultural and Rural Agricultural Society and Gilbert Morwood The original Act as applied in 1914 is still Industries Act 1914, was held in the Jones elected by the Southern in force today. Council Chamber, Douglas on the 4th Agricultural Society. September 1915. Government spending in direct support of The temporary Secretary Alfred Hicks local industries was minimal before 1900 Present at the meeting were: His Honour Tyson was paid a salary of thirty pounds and consisted of extremely small grants the Clerk of the Rolls (Thomas Kneen), per annum, and Board meetings were for planting trees and improving the Alfred Christian J.P. MHK, William held every alternate Saturday at 2.30 breed of horses and cattle. Salmon and Christian MHK, William Frederick Cowell p.m. freshwater fisheries and sea fisheries MHK and William Quayle MHK (members bodies were set up in the late 19th elected by the Tynwald Court), John At the first meeting, the Board discussed: century. Donald Clucas and Llewelyn Stanley - making arrangements for lecturers on Kneale (elected by the Trustees of the butter making to visit the Island Agri-News April 2014 DEFA News 3 Food Security By Peter McEvoy, Director of Agriculture The Department is finalising its Food “That Tynwald notes that local food to bringing this piece of work to fruition Security Strategy, a high level production is vital to the future with his close involvement. commitment from Government to ensure sustainability of the Isle of Man; and that the Isle of Man is well provisioned to therefore requests the Minister of the Vision 2020 provide for its people in the coming Department of Environment, Food and decades. Food Security is defined as Agriculture to bring forward within six ‘Distinctive Local Food and Drink’ has “when all people at all times have access months a strategy and action plan which been identified as an important growth to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to sets out a range of ambitious and sector in the Government’s Vision 2020 - maintain a healthy and active life”. appropriate targets for growth in the food a strategy for economic success. DEFA sector, including a target of achieving at will play a key supporting role in helping Addressing food security is a complex least a 7% share of GDP by 2025, from to achieve sustainable growth in the food task and includes supply chain issues, locally grown, sourced, and processed sector through the management of a agricultural and fisheries policy, foods.” reliable supply chain and ensuring that Government procurement and ethical quality standards and provenance are considerations. However, a recurring We are currently working on developing guaranteed. The Manx food story would theme is the reliable supply of local food, the Strategy in partnership with not be complete without acknowledging particularly staples such as milk, bread, colleagues across the food industry and the link between food production and our vegetables, eggs and meat. This requires Government to identify areas of potential scenic countryside. The success of the a strong and sustainable local production growth, new markets and new products. Countryside Care Scheme together with and processing supply chain, which is a Following the formulation of the action the many other roles that DEFA plays in key aspect of the following two initiatives plan and its acceptance by Tynwald, it is managing and protecting the Manx that the Department is working on.