19 Jan 2006

Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers' Association (ICSA) sponsor prize at University College Cork (UCC)

The marketing of Irish meat will be a key focus of third year BSc Food Business students at UCC with the introduction of a new meat marketing project sponsored by the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers' Association (ICSA).

The bursary prize of €1,000 is being provided to the student who produces the best meat marketing report.  The opportunity is being given to students taking a module centred on dairy and meat marketing and delivered by the Department of Food Business and Development.  

The aim of the project is to help focus the minds of future food business executives on meat market realities and potential market opportunities.  Speaking at the launch of the project at a ceremony in UCC on 19 January 2006, Eddie Punch, General Secretary of the ICSA, said: "The ICSA is delighted to encourage the brightest marketing graduates to be a driving force in the development of food production in Ireland."

As the ICSA's 10,000 members produce some of the finest quality meat in the country, it is their remit to supply this meat to the highest value markets. Thus, research and marketing are the most important tools needed to further develop the Irish meat industry.

The BSc Food Business degree offers students a unique blend of business, science and technology, placing a strong awareness on real work practice.  The Faculty of Food Science and Technology administer the programme in conjunction with the Faculty of Commerce.

According to Dr Séamus O'Reilly, module lecturer, "tomorrow's successful food business executives must know their business as well as the science and technology of food to respond to the many market opportunities presented by consumers.  The meat industry offers BSc Food Business graduates great employment opportunities in product development and marketing. We are delighted, in conjunction with the ICSA, to provide our students with a practical insight into marketplace realities."

172MMcS


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