Time is running out to give your views through the public consultation on ‘Food at the Heart of Our Society – A Prospectus for Change’, which aims to create Northern Ireland’s first ever Food Strategy Framework. The Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Edwin Poots said: “As I have previously said, Northern Ireland is already renowned for its high-quality, tasty, welfare-focused, award-winning and environmentally sustainable food.
We punch well above our weight on the world stage and our food ends up on plates all across the globe.
“It’s now time to focus our efforts on taking such a fantastic product and ensuring we maximise its benefits for our local health, economy, environment and for the generations to come," he added.
So by working together, we can transform our food system into one that protects natural resources for future generations, is economically and environmentally sustainable and provides safe, nourishing, accessible food to people, who make informed healthy choices.
“There are [less than] two weeks to the closing date of the consultation (Friday, November, 19). I encourage you to share your views on the proposals for a new strategic food systems approach, and on the proposed vision, principles and goals of the NI Food Strategy Framework," the minister concluded.

NI Food Strategy Framework

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) said that the framework focuses on six strategic priorities and will be a living document that is dynamic and responsive to changing circumstances. The six strategic priorities include:
  1. Building connections between health / wellbeing and food;
  2. Building sustainable economic prosperity;
  3. Building a food culture and food conscious society;
  4. Protecting and enhancing natural resources;
  5. Building healthy lives through food education;
  6. Building and maintaining appropriate emergency contingency plans across the supply chain.