EIGHT WEXFORD FOOD PRODUCERS AWARDED 2024 ORIGIN GREEN GOLD STATUS BY BORD BIA
Eight Wexford food producers have been selected as recipients of the much coveted ‘Origin Green Gold’ status by Bord Bia. More than 300 people attended Bord Bia’s Origin Green 2024 Sustainability Seminar in the Killashee Hotel, Co.Kildare on Wednesday 16th October 2024.
The eight selected Wexford recipients of 2024 Origin Green Gold Membership are as follows:
Greenhill Fruit Farm, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 Irish Country Meats, 2023, 2024
Killowen Farm, 2022, 2023, 2024
Regan Organic Produce, 2024
Slaney Farms Produce, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024
Sofrimar, 2023, 2024
Trudies Catering Kitchen, 2023, 2024
Coolhull Farm (Paganini), 2024
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue opened the seminar alongside Bord Bia CEO Jim O’Toole.Minister McConalogue reflected on the ambitious targets set by Government to achieve greater climate actions and reinforced the critical role that Origin Green and its members play in leading the way in demonstrating high standards and sustainable operations.
To attain Origin Green Gold Membership a company must demonstrate exceptional annual performance in areas such as raw material sourcing; water and energy efficiency; waste reduction; packaging; and social sustainability. This year’s Origin Green Gold Members excelled most in the areas of energy, packaging and community engagement.
Bord Bia provided updates on new initiatives and supports available in the Origin Green programme, while Deirdre Ryan, Origin Green Director of Sustainability and Quality Assurance at Bord Bia announced the record number of 110 Origin Green Gold Members for 2024.
Origin Green is Ireland’s pioneering food and drink sustainability programme, operating on a national scale, uniting government, the private sector, farmers, and food producers. It is a voluntary programme, led by Bord Bia, which brings together Ireland’s food industry – from farmers to food producers, retailers to foodservice operators – with the common goal of sustainable food production.
This programme enables Ireland’s food industry to set and achieve measurable sustainability targets that respect the environment and serve local communities more effectively. Crucially, Origin Green is about measuring and improving how we do this on an ongoing basis. Independent accreditation and verification are built into every stage of the supply chain. Accreditation at farm-level is provided to ISO: 17065 and Carbon Trust (PAS 2050), while food and drink manufacturers are independently verified by international auditors, Mabbett.
Trudie Power, CEO Trudie’s Kitchen and her Uncle Ray Wingate.
Pauline Dunne, Killowen Farm.Images courtesy of Bord Bia.