Agriculture Minister visits Royal Highland Show

Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots MLA has visited the Royal Highland Show in Edinburgh to meet with his Scottish counterpart and to support the Northern Ireland food companies exhibiting at the event.

DAERA Minister Edwin Poots is pictured at the Royal Highland Show with Frank Flynn and James Rooney from Redrock Machinery who produce agricultural machinery in Armagh.

Celebrating its 200th year the annual Royal Highland Show, very similar to the Balmoral Show, showcases the finest displays of Scotland’s livestock, machinery, produce, equine and countryside pursuits.

DAERA has provided funding to allow Food NI to take a number of local food companies to the four-day show to showcase their produce and to meet with major retailers.

The Minister said: “I am delighted to be able to visit the Royal Highland Show and to support the Northern Ireland exhibitors attending it. My Department is actively involved in supporting our agri-food industry in the promotion of our high quality and award winning local produce and this event is just one example of that.

“We have an agri-food industry that we all should be proud off with high quality, sustainability and a great reputation so I am hopeful that these food companies will do a great job in promoting the sector as well as increasing their sales and finding new major buyers.

“I want to commend Food NI for all their efforts in the promotion of NI produce at events such as this and the development of the ‘Our Food. The Power of Good’ promotional campaign,” he added.

The Minister also met with Mairi McAllan, MSP, Minister for Environment and Land Reform and talked about common issues facing the agri-sector and the need to support such rural shows following the pandemic.

The Minister also reminded local agricultural shows that the deadline to apply for funding from the £200,000 bounce back scheme is 30 June 2022 and encourage organisers to apply.

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