
Meath projects awarded over €33,000 in agri-food tourism funding
The Boyne Valley Food Heroes, the Boyne Valley School of Food Culture (Samhain Festival), and Elmgrove Flower Farm's Daffodil Festival in Gormanston are among 21 projects to benefit from funding under the Department's 2025 Rural Innovation and Development Fund.
Local councillor, Emer Tóibín said: 'These businesses play a vital role in celebrating our landscape, heritage, and local produce, while driving rural enterprise and community connection. Agri-food tourism continues to be a powerful force for good, showcasing the people, places, and unique flavours of Meath, while supporting farmers, food producers, and local artisans.'
Speaking on the funding, Minister Heydon said he was delighted to support the successful projects following this year's agri-food tourism tender process.
Mr Heydon said: 'The great geographical spread of the projects this year illustrates the interest in the sector, the development of agri-food tourism and its importance to communities throughout the country. Our 10-year roadmap for the agriculture sector, Food Vision 2030, highlights the natural synergy between agri-food and local tourism.'
He added: 'Agri-food tourism in rural areas allows our great food companies of all sizes to showcase their people, landscape, history and culture through agricultural produce, food and drink and local cuisine. In addition, it provides opportunities for rural businesses, including farmers, producers and artisans to develop their products and services, diversify their businesses, connect with the local community, welcome visitors and improve skills and best practice.'
The Meath projects were awarded: Boyne Valley Food Heroes – €13,317 (fully funded), Elmgrove Flower Farm – Daffodil Festival 2026 – €10,000 (part-funded), and Boyne Valley School of Food Culture – Samhain Festival – €10,000 (part-funded)
Meanwhile Minister of State with responsibility for Food Promotion, Noel Grealish TD, said: 'The large volume of applications submitted shows the appetite that this sector has for innovative and collaborative ventures in this sphere.'
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Agriland
16 hours ago
- Agriland
Heydon leads agri-food trade mission to Korea and Japan
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon is leading a major agri-food trade mission to the Republic of Korea and Japan this week (June 2025). The trade mission, in collaboration with Bord Bia, and Enterprise Ireland, runs until Saturday (June 14) and will include political meetings, as well as market development engagement at a series of trade events with commercial representatives. It will also include two ministerial meetings, and take in visits to three cities, including two markets, two trade receptions, and twelve commercial engagements focusing on Ireland's beef, dairy, consumer foods, and seafood products. There are 22 Irish companies participating over the two legs of the trade mission. The Japanese leg is set to have a particular focus on driving awareness of Irish drinks, including three drinks activations events. According to Minister Heydon, the focus of the trade mission is to build on, and promote, Ireland's reputation in agri-food in the Republic of Korea, Japan, and the wider Asia region. The minister will also attend Seoul Food, Korea's largest international exhibition for the food, drink, hotel and food service industry. He will also attend Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan which is expected to attract more than 28 million visitors, with participation by 160 countries. Speaking from Seoul, South Korea, Minister Heydon said: 'Irish beef gained access to the Korean market in 2024, which was a significant achievement. I was delighted to be in Seoul last September for the launch of Irish beef on the market. 'This week is about building on the excellent relationships, both official and commercial, we have developed in the Republic of Korea and Japan, to strengthen and expand the relationships,' the minister added. Republic of Korea The CEO of Bord Bia, Jim O'Toole said the aim of the mission is to build further connections with importers and distributors, particularly for the beef sector. He said: 'The Republic of Korea is the most valuable beef market in Asia and should be seen as a long-term, stable opportunity for the Irish beef industry, particularly those companies supplying Irish bone-in cuts such as short ribs that are popular for Korean barbeque restaurants. 'Security of supply is an important factor in purchasing decisions for South Korean customers, something which Ireland can deliver on backed by Origin Green farming practices including its quality assurance programmes and regular farm audits. 'This trade mission is all about highlighting these credentials and maximising value for a range of Irish cuts with our South Korean buyers,' O'Toole added. Agriland will be covering the trade mission live from Japan, so stay tuned for developments and progress from the trip.


Irish Examiner
2 days ago
- Irish Examiner
Lack of Cork border control post driving up food prices, say TD and importers
A full border control post for the Port of Cork is again being sought to facilitate inspections of agricultural products. Cork East Fianna Fáil TD James O'Connor asked agriculture, food, and marine minister Martin Heydon in the Dáil to consider the move. The Port of Cork Company previously stated that the current system results in higher prices for consumers of products such as bananas, pineapples, melons, grapes, and citrus fruits. Food importers have also claimed at least 2,000 shipping containers of fruit and veg a year, which could be landed in Cork, were being diverted to ports in Britain or Europe, for transit back to Ireland for the required checks in Dublin. Mr O'Connor, who raised the issue in the Dáil, said a full border control post is needed in Cork. It is required to facilitate consignments of food, food contact materials, animals, feed, and plants that are subject to increased import controls that must enter the EU. Mr O'Connor said the lack of a post is severely impacting the growth of the port while causing additional pollutant emissions and increasing costs for importers and consumers. Mr Heydon said the port is designated a border control post for container shipments of wood and wood products only The Port of Cork company submitted a business case to the Department in October 2022 requesting approval for a full post. Organic sector Much of the benefit expected would accrue to the fruit, vegetable, and organic sector. The department considered the proposal and engaged with the company. 'At the time, it was considered that this proposal did not demonstrate a significant increase of trade to justify the investment in terms of exchequer resources required to run a [border control post],' he said. Mr O'Connor also asked if the department would consider granting temporary derogations of three to six months to prevent disruption to seasonal goods imports needing physical inspection. This would give the port greater flexibility to encourage importers to use Cork and boost trade, while avoiding additional pollutant emissions and increased costs for importers and consumers, he said. Mr Heydon said EU member states are required to perform official controls on live animals, plants, plant products and products of animal origin as required under the European regulation. There are four designated posts in Ireland — located at Dublin Port, Dublin Airport, Rosslare Europort, and Shannon Airport. The designation of posts must be approved by the European Commission and necessitates compliance with detailed rules on minimum requirements for infrastructure, professional staff, equipment, and commodity-specific requirements. Mr Heydon said derogations from these requirements are not provided for in this legislation Cork Port is a designated border control posts for bulk consignments of roundwood logs, but is not designated for live animals, products of animal origin, plants, plant products or organic goods. During 2024, a facilitation was allowed for the importation of melons through the port. This was not a derogation from the requirements for post approval. It was a specific facilitation that allows for a very small number of plants and plant products deemed, on assessment, as presenting minimal risk to the plant health status of the EU. The small number of plants eligible for this facilitation is still subject to identity and physical inspections. A similar facilitation for products of animal origin, live animals, and for most plants and products of plant origin cannot be legally provided, he said. Read More Moorepark dairy open day set for July


Agriland
2 days ago
- Agriland
All eligible TAMS applications approved but limits on next tranche
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, today (Saturday, June 7) confirmed the approval of 100% of eligible applications received under Tranches 6, 7 and 8 of the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Schemes (TAMS) 3 scheme. Tranche 6 closed to applications on March 7, 2025, with 4,931 applications received across the 11 schemes. Tranche 7, the emergency tranche, which was opened in response to Storm Éowyn, closed for applications on March 28, with 1,945 applications submitted in respect of the agreed emergency investments, namely: Back-up generators; Sheep, bovine and equine fencing; Wood/biomass chipper; Mulchers. Tranche 8 closed yesterday, Friday June 6, with approximately 5,000 applications received and the final number will be confirmed early next week. Tranche 9 of the scheme is now open. Minister Heydon commented: 'TAMS 3 has proven to be a very successful scheme, with approximately 42,000 applications received over the first seven tranches since February 2023, supporting farmers to build and/or improve a specified range of farm buildings and equipment on their holdings, while addressing issues such as generational renewal and farm safety. 'Over €70.5 million has issued to over 8,000 applicants, with payments of approximately €2 million continuing to issue on a weekly basis. 'However, TAMS is a demand-led scheme with a defined budgetary allocation. Given that we are now just halfway through the current CAP Strategic Plan (CSP), it is prudent that we are mindful of the budget available for the remaining TAMS tranches. 'In order to ensure that the available budget is distributed fairly over the remainder of the CSP, it may be necessary to limit the number of approved applications per tranche going forward by applying ranking and selection criteria, including for the upcoming Tranche 9, which opened on June 7 and will close on September 6,' the minister said. This will be kept under ongoing review for the remainder of the CSP. TAMS is jointly funded by the national exchequer and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) of the European Union (EU) under Ireland's Rural Development Plan 2014-2022 and CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027. Under the On-farm Capital Investment Scheme known as TAMS 3, there are 11 individual schemes. These are as follows: Animal Welfare, Nutrient Storage Scheme (AWNSS) at 40% grant rate, with a €90,000 investment ceiling; Tillage Capital Investment Scheme (TCIS) at 40% grant rate, with a €90,000 investment ceiling; Pig and Poultry Capital Investment Scheme (PPIS) at 40% grant rate, with a €500,000 investment ceiling; Dairy Equipment Scheme (DES) at 40% grant rate, with a €90,000 investment ceiling; Young Farmer Capital Investment Scheme (YFCIS) at 60% grant rate, with a €90,000 investment ceiling; Women Farmer Capital Investment Scheme (WFCIS) at 60% grant rate, with a €90,000 investment ceiling; Organic Farming Capital Investment Scheme (OCIS) at 60% grant rate, with a €90,000 investment ceiling; Farm Safety Capital Investment Scheme (FCIS) at 60% grant rate, with a €90,000 investment ceiling; Solar Capital Investment Scheme (SCIS) at 60% grant rate, with a €90,000 investment ceiling that is separate from other schemes; Low Emission Slurry Spreading Equipment Scheme (LESS) at 60% grant rate, with a €40,000 investment ceiling that is separate from other schemes; Nutrient Importation Storage Scheme (NISS) at 70% grant rate, with a €90,000 investment ceiling that is separate from other schemes.