Events: my take-home message
Teagasc’s researchers attend many events throughout the year, sharing the findings from their research with national and international audiences. Here, we capture take-home messages – the key pieces of information that our researchers want people to remember – from recent events.
Climate smart technologies for nutritious and safe foods
Event: Teagasc Food Innovation Gateways
Date: 5 October 2022
Food Innovation Gateways is part of the Teagasc Food Technology and Knowledge Transfer Strategy to support Irish food companies. This event presented the latest technologies to support food companies in meeting the challenges of producing climate-friendly, nutritious and safe foods. Over 130 people attended from the wider Irish food industry.
“At the heart of this event is the importance of innovation in developing opportunities to meet consumer demands whilst meeting climate change commitments,” noted Shay Hannon, Teagasc National Prepared Consumer Food Centre Manager.
“Climate-smart food production is achievable. Through continued research and development and collaboration we can guarantee food security, increasing productivity and incomes, enhancing resilience of livelihoods and ecosystems and reducing and removing greenhouse gas emissions from the atmosphere.”
During the day, John Ryan, R&D Packaging Director International at The Kraft Heinz Company, Netherlands, gave a great insight into how Kraft Heinz are developing sustainable packaging formats, such as paper-based Ketchup bottles. This was followed by a presentation from Edel Clancy, Director of Communications and Corporate Affairs at the Musgrave Group, Ireland. Edel spoke about Musgrave’s sustainability strategy and its work with retail partners, suppliers and customers to reduce carbon emissions to reach net zero carbon by 2040.
There was also a panel discussion with a number of high profile food industry representatives, chaired by Teagasc’s Head of Technology Transfer and Commercialisation Siobhan Jordan.
[pic cap] (L-R): Bryan Meyer (Food Physics), Barbara Biduski (Teagasc), Brijesh Tiwari (Teagasc) and Mateo Grenier (Unilasalle Rouen) discussing Pulsed Electric Field tech
Save the date
Teagasc national dairy conference – turning challenges into opportunities
Event 1: 6 December – Rochestown Park Hotel Cork
Event 2: 8 December – Mullingar Park Hotel Westmeath
After a three-year absence, this year’s Teagasc national dairy conference programme is a welcome return. Leading farmers and researchers will share insights on maintaining farm productivity at lower nitrogen inputs, and the potential for technology to deliver a higher-value calf crop will be explored.
Join us to get updates and participate in practical discussions on technical topics, such as methane abatement, reducing somatic cell count and improving the labour efficiency of the milking process.
Book your place at our event by visiting: teagasc.ie/corporate-events/dairy-conference/
Don’t miss out on Teagasc’s upcoming events! Visit our website to see what we have planned: www.teagasc.ie
Global agenda for sustainable livestock
Event: Multi-Stakeholder Partnership Meeting of the Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock
Date: 3 to 7 October
This international meeting – held in Ireland for the first time – addressed the development of practices and policies aimed at increasing the sustainability of the global livestock sector. It was hosted by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), and welcomed around 140 delegates from over 40 different countries.
Attendees were given an overview of Teagasc’s Signpost programme – a multi-annual campaign to facilitate climate action from all Irish farmers. The programme aims to achieve early progress in reducing gaseous emissions from Irish agriculture. It also aims to improve water quality, maintain and improve bio-diversity, reduce costs and create more profitable and sustainable farming enterprises.
The event was an excellent opportunity for delegates to witness the sustainability of Ireland’s grass based livestock production model. They heard first hand about some of the innovations happening on Irish farms through the Signpost programme by visiting Teagasc Grange, Teagasc Signpost Farmer Dermot Heaney’s dairy farm in Co. Meath, and Devenish Nutrition’s research farm in Dowth.
Teagasc Postdoctoral Researcher Paul Smith was one of the delegates at the event. He says: “Attendees were in awe of both the Irish grass-based livestock production model and research currently being undertaken to further enhance the sector’s sustainability.
“On numerous occasions, attendees referenced the Irish agriculture sector as being one of the world leaders in sustainable livestock production. In addition, delegates were extremely impressed by the ability of the programme to transfer greenhouse mitigation research into on-farm practice.”
[pic cap] Tom O’Dwyer, Head of Teagasc Signpost Programme, speaking to delegates at Teagasc Grange