My weekly update - Main contents

Quite simply, one cannot be economically sustainable without being environmentally sustainable.

Last week was another very full week, beginning in Brussels and concluding in Ireland. On Monday I met the visiting Minister of Agriculture from Montenegro, which is a candidate country for accession to the EU and agriculture is by far the largest economic activity in rural parts of the country. I also had a very interesting discussion with my colleague, Commissioner Navracsics and senior officials from the Joint Research Centre, which is the European Commission's in-house science service. I am very impressed with some of the work done by the JRC and see enormous potential, particularly in the area of agriculture and the agri-food sector, where much of our work will have to be science and research-based.

On Monday night, I spoke at the Brussels branch of the Institute of International and European Affairs on the subject of "Agriculture, Food Security and the World Order." I am firmly of the view that we must look at agriculture's role in a much wider context than heretofore and consider where agricultural policy can contribute to other policy areas across the EU and beyond.

Engaging with the European Parliament and exchanging views with MEPs is something in which I place great importance and I greatly value the views and experiences of elected public representatives, many of which they gain from contact with their constituents. I had such an opportunity on Wednesday with a cross-party group of MEPs and industry representatives who are part of the Land Use and Food Policy Intergroup of the EP, under the chairmanship of Richard Ashworth MEP.

I also addressed a conference on "Sustainable Future for EU Farming" on Wednesday. I wanted to emphasise some important views that I hold with regard to the environment. Quite simply, one cannot be economically sustainable without being environmentally sustainable. As I told the conference, "You can't do one without the other. For me, economic sustainability and environmental sustainability are two sides of the one coin." One of the priorities of CAP reform was the improvement of the sustainability of the European agricultural sector and, despite the views of some, it is a fact that there are several elements in the new CAP which justify the claim that we do now have a greener policy than we ever had before.

With St Patrick's Day approaching, last Wednesday saw the start of Seachtain na Gaeilge and I was delighted to be asked to participate in the official opening. Cultural events are important and particularly important for those living away from home. Seachtain na Gaelige is an ideal opportunity to promote the use of the Irish language, which it should not be forgotten is an official language of the EU!

On Thursday, I was back in Ireland and delighted to share in what I believe will come to be seen as a watershed moment in the history of the agri-food sector in Ireland. This was the official opening of Glanbia's new state-of-the-art dairy processing facility in Co Kilkenny. This facility represents not alone an investment of €180 million in the plant, but the biggest vote of confidence in the Irish dairy industry since the foundation of the State. Its opening comes just weeks before the ending of milk quotas and reflects the tremendous opportunities for growth in the Irish and European dairy sectors. Though we need to be vigilant following the abolition of milk quotas, we have seen dairy prices stabilising recently and new market opportunities emerging, I am optimistic about this sector.

This is a 'Strasbourg week' and a further opportunity to engage with MEPs and to exchange ideas. Tomorrow, I'm travelling to Romania to meet political leaders and stakeholders and to get a clearer understanding of agricultural production in that important Member State.