The Agri-Food Regulator (An Rialálaí Agraibhia) has today (Thursday, June 20) published its inaugural strategy statement setting out a roadmap for the first three years of the new office.
The regulator, which was formally established in December, is tasked with promoting fairness and transparency across all levels of the agri-food supply chain.
The new strategy statement outlines four key objectives, as follows:
- Enforcement of agri-food unfair trading law;
- Improved transparency on the functioning of the agri-food supply chain;
- Effective communication and engagement with stakeholders in promoting fairness and transparency;
- Building of organisational capacity with optimal use of resources to deliver an efficient and effective service.
The board of the regulator said that it will regularly assess progress on each objective and will recommend appropriate actions, if necessary, to ensure delivery.
Agri-Food Regulator
The regulator, which comes under the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Act 2023, will ensure compliance with legislation on unfair trading practices (UTPs).
It will seek price and market data information from businesses along the agri-food supply chain which is not publicly available.
The roadmap includes the development of “effective stakeholder engagement channels” to convey the needs of the agri-food sector.
Niamh Lenehan, Agri-Food Regulator chief executive, said that a key focus of the regulator is “enabling greater transparency on how the food supply chain works and, in particular, price formation mechanisms”.
“To this end, the publication of a number of sectoral reviews are planned in the coming months; a data request issued to businesses operating in the egg sector a number of weeks ago and data requests in other sectors are also planned.
“Further, we will continue with monitoring and enforcement activities in relation to the Unfair Trading Regulations with compliance inspections commencing shortly,” she added.
Chair of the board Joe Healy added that the strategy provided the regulator with a “clear vision and framework” to help guide its work.
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue said that the strategy statement “highlights how the agri-food sector is benefitting from an independent regulator”.
“The strategy sets out its key objectives which will deliver fairness and transparency right across the agri-food chain but especially for farmers, fishers and small food businesses.
“I look forward to continued engagement with the regulator and wish it every success in delivering its strategy,” he said.