CEO’s Statement

CEO Statement

Zoë Kavanagh Chief Executive

Delivering value to our members

In 2020 we worked through the fourth year of the current strategy. We recognise our obligation to deliver excellent value and service to the thousands of farming families who fund us. We are ambitious in our pursuit of securing stronger regard for all that Irish Dairy has to offer – producer excellence and a highly nutritious portfolio of products.

The NDC undertook a complete review of its Constitution dated 1993 but linking back to 1964 when the NDC was incorporated. The primary objective was to achieve an outcome where the NDC governance is both fit for purpose while ensuring the membership is fairly represented on the Board. The long-term success depends on a strong membership represented by a balanced, inclusive and supported group of Board Directors.

There has been a radical shift in how agriculture is viewed in the context of climate change. Irish Dairy’s benefits have been overlooked and underplayed repeatedly. There is an urgent need to re-stage the truths of Irish Dairy at both consumer and policy level in order to achieve “permission to produce” alongside “permission to consume”. Having dairy regarded as a vital component of a sustainable food system is a critical strategic outcome.

Love Irish Dairy

2020 started with a nationwide advertising campaign with outdoor billboards for the NDC “Love Irish Dairy” campaign. Over one hundred sites in total were utilised around Ireland for two weeks in January. The campaign highlighted how in Ireland our green countryside is an incredible asset and provides us with a unique grass-based farming system. This, paired with the expertise and the commitment of individual farmers and their families are vital ingredients in the success of Irish Dairy – here at home and abroad.

Challenging times

The Covid-19 global pandemic changed the ways of work for most business and the NDC was no different. The agility of the executive team and its broader network was a significant strength which really benefited the Dairy sector. Roles and responsibilities come under the microscope when a sector hits a crisis and it is very clear that while organizations work hard to support the supply chain, the NDC focus is always on the consumer. The dairy sector as a whole demonstrated its resilience as we all confronted the pandemic disruption. From an NDC perspective the reputation of the dairy sector alongside supporting its relevant consumption while consumers have been home-based has been our priority. The NDC worked nimbly to re-purpose our core activities to fit with the new crisis – our Schools Programme was revisited for a Home-Schooling audience and we delivered our regional co-op-led Health & Wellbeing evenings as a print series with the Irish Farmers Journal. We were also delighted to commission a new book dedicated to the subject of Milk written by celebrated food writers John and Sally McKenna. The book tells the story of Milk from its early beginnings to the basis of so many products and recipes and was distributed to book shops across Ireland.

From an NDC perspective the reputation of the dairy sector alongside supporting its relevant consumption while consumers have been home-based has been our priority.

Dedication of Irish dairy farmers

In April, the NDC launched a new TV and Radio campaign, celebrating the dedication of Irish dairy farmers. Covid-19 created huge uncertainty for all of us, but one thing we can continued to rely on was fresh quality Irish Dairy thanks to the hard-working farmers of Ireland. This story, told through Irish dairy farmers, connects consumers with the natural food production and the role of dairy farmers in keeping us fed and nourished.

Whether it’s the back-to-basics sentiment or simply an Irish population craving trust, health and security, the NDC’s TV and Radio advertising triggered a level of feedback never seen before. The gratitude from the farming community coupled with the appreciation expressed by consumers points towards a resurgence in dairy’s role within Irish family life coupled with a renewed respect for scientifically proven health benefits. Google search at the time indicated a significant shift towards Nutrition and Home Cooking as people were tied to their homes and I see this as Dairy’s heartland and opportunity. In fact, NDC research conducted in 2020 showed a 40% increase in dairy consumption in under 35-year-olds since the start of the government restrictions last March.

The gratitude from the farming community coupled with the appreciation expressed by consumers points towards a resurgence in dairy’s role within Irish family life.

Climate change & sustainability

The vital importance of climate change and sustainability continues to be on our radar as we endeavor to continually improve Irish farming methods to reduce emissions. We know climate change is firmly on consumers agenda and our role is to identify suitable opportunities to communicate the work undertaken by the Dairy sector. While our grassbased, family-farming system is both natural and environmentally sustainable, the dairy sector cannot take anything for granted when it comes to climate change. We are acutely aware that whilst we have one of the most carbon efficient dairy farming systems in the EU, we still have more work to do to improve Ireland’s agricultural emissions. Our research from earlier this year tells us 71% of 18 to 29-year-old Irish consumers want the Dairy sector to be protected and supported for future generations (this increases to 88% among the over 55s).

EU campaigns

IN 2020 we continued to work on three EUfunded campaigns to promote Milk; Cheese; and Sustainability. These help to supplement the NDC budget to deliver more valuable promotion of the dairy messaging to a wider audience. As part of the NDC’s involvement in the ‘Sustainable Dairy in Europe’ project, the perceptions of 2,000 Irish consumers were examined. It found that 82% of consumers believe there is a need to change how we produce and consume food. However, only 9% actually consider their carbon footprint when purchasing food. While 85% wish for the continued success of the Irish dairy sector, 42% consider that it has a negative impact on climate change. This highlights disparity in the understanding of dairy’s role in sustainable diets and an opportunity to inform the consumer.

NDC - expert voice on dairy nutrition

Nutrition expertise has always been a strength of the NDC and, as result, it has become a trusted voice in the area of dairy nutrition establishing strong partnerships with academic and health organisations. These partnerships bring transparency and integrity to many of the NDC’s communications. The NDC uses a dual approach in its promotion of dairy nutrition messaging – it communicates directly to consumers through publications and various media; and it communicates the latest research to relevant health care professionals.

Identifying an information gap in the area, the NDC produced a booklet on ‘Eating Sustainably’, which outlines the basic principles of sustainable diets and includes important information on dairy. The 19-page consumer booklet has been endorsed by both the Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute and the Government’s Healthy Ireland.

Nutrition expertise has always been a strength of the NDC and, as result, it has become a trusted voice in the area of dairy nutrition establishing strong partnerships with academic and health organisations.

Food parcels and free school milk Promotion

Fresh Care food parcels continued to be delivered to disadvantaged school children during school closures in Q4 of the School Milk Scheme. Approximately 10,000 weekly food parcels with milk were delivered to children who were normally in receipt of School Milk through the Urban School Meals Scheme. The Department of Agriculture, Food & the Marine (DAFM) has made the welcome decision to maintain the subsidy for School Milk at €70 per 100kgs in the 2020/2021 school year to ensure maximum participation in the scheme. For secondary schools, a digital resource for teenagers was developed by the Nutrition team. This transformed relevant information for this age group to create an engaging and interactive learning experience. Due to the Pandemic, NDC also developed a special Home-Schooling resource for parents and teachers in primary schools which was developed and delivered by a teacher and TG4 presenter within a school setting. It was very well received by participating schools.

The NDC like many other sectors worked hard to deliver a complete work programme in 2020 through an incredibly challenging environment posed by the pandemic. In smartly navigating an alternative approach to all our core activities we managed to deliver a very successful programme of online events, advertising, PR, schools activity and nutrition communications as well as continued stakeholder networking on behalf of the NDC.

Zoë Kavanagh Chief Executive