The Minister of State for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Andrew Doyle T.D., today officially launched his Department’s “Don’t Risk it!” Plant Health awareness raising campaign for 2019 targeted at international travellers, tourists and commercial businesses who are bringing plants, plant products and other high-risk items made of plant material into Ireland from abroad.
Minister Doyle said, “I am delighted to launch this year’s plant health awareness raising initiative by my Department at Bloom. My Department is committed to the protection of Ireland’s horticulture industry and the wider environment from exotic pests and diseases.’’
Plant Health is closely linked with Food Safety, Food security and protection of the wider environment. Plants, of course, play a vital role with pollinators in biodiversity.
The aim of the “Don’t Risk It!” campaign is to raise awareness around the importance of plant health and how the public can play a part in protecting it. Bloom is the perfect platform to launch this strategy and the Minster encouraged people to visit the Department at stand 17 in the Floral Pavilion and engage with them on this topic.
Minister Doyle concluded “I believe that this campaign will generate greater awareness among the general public of this serious issue and that people will think twice and decide when abroad, not to risk it but instead leave all plants and plant products in that country. People can also visit my Department’s website www.agriculture.gov.ie/dontriskit where more information is available.”
