The Devenish Lands at Dowth is an internationally recognised research farm, owned and run by Devenish specialising in research and development of sustainable farming and food solutions. It is set within the Brú na Bóinne UNESCO World Heritage Site and features Neolithic monuments built over a period of 4,000 - 6,000 years ago by Ireland's first farming communities.
Devenish Executive Chairman, Dr Owen Brennan said: "We were very pleased to welcome the New Zealand Speaker of the House and accompanying parliamentary delegation to our Global Innovation Centre and research farm at Dowth. There are a number of synergies between the New Zealand and Ireland markets - we share a focus on consumer and animal-friendly solutions, as well as a passion for sustainable farming practices. It was great to have the opportunity to share our work on sustainable farming and food solutions, and I hope it helps to inspire future collaboration."
The group of five MPs, including Speaker Rt Hon Trevor Mallard, visited a number of organisations and businesses during their three-day visit.
Brad Burgess, Aotearoa New Zealand's Ambassador, said: "The delegation was delighted to have an exchange on the latest grassland research, environmental sustainability and biodiversity practices that Devenish are championing. The pace of cooperation between New Zealand and Ireland on climate and agriculture continues to accelerate, as highlighted by the launch last month of a new, multi-million euro joint research initiative on the reduction and accounting of greenhouse gas emissions from pasture-based farming systems."
During the tour of the farm, the group met with members of the Devenish team including Dr Morgan Sheehy and Dr Cornelia Grace who gave an overview of the HeartLand Project. This project is focused on livestock production systems supporting environmental sustainability while producing health promoting food.
Professor Alice Stanton, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and Devenish Director of Human Health presented to the group on the value of nutrient-rich animal-sourced foods in healthy sustainable human diets.
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