The first of its kind, the NI Food and Drink Conference saw 150 delegates from across industry and government come together to discuss market megatrends, the regulatory environment and the opportunities for growth.

Held by NIFDA in partnership with the Department for Business and Trade, the Food Standards Agency and Invest Northern Ireland, the conference took place at the Crowne Plaza Hotel on 25^th April 2023.

Dr Clive Black, Shore Capital Markets’ Vice Chairman, spoke to the audience on the ubiquity of the British food system to the functioning of the UK economy and wider society, highlighting the need for Government to prioritise its welfare to a much greater extent to ensure that food security is enhanced and the wealth generating potential of the industry is maximised in a manner that maintains the country’s world leading animal welfare, provides safe and wholesome food and meets sustainability requirements.

He stressed that there is scope for material improvement, indeed the Government has let down key areas of the industry such as the horticulture and pig sectors, and contrasted the manner in which Ireland prioritises its food industry compared with the UK.

More on the Northern Ireland Food and Drink Conference can be found here.