Hi, This morning we launched a new initiative called Love Irish Food.

This is a campaign by 31 Irish producers to highlight Irish manufactured products to consumers and is one of the most brilliant ideas to happen in the food world in quite a while. The last year has been really tough for Irish food producers and often Cul and I have wondered what's it all about but this does give us hope. People tell us every day that they want to eat quality Irish products- after all you are what you eat and good quality food is better (and tastier) than any medicine.

Ireland is a food island, we are an agricultural nation, which produces some of the best raw materials (beef, lamb, potatoes, dairy etc), which in turn are converted into some of the best products in the world - Tayto, Barry's Tea, Guinness, Baileys, Kilmeaden cheese, Batchelor's, Ballymaloe Country Relish etc. Ireland has huge competitive advantages due to our climate, which is ideal for grass growth, which is the basis for so much.

Everyone agrees that for Ireland to get out of its current difficulties, it has to be export-led. Two-thirds of indigenous Irish exports are food-related and we can capitalize on this further. So, after a lot of disillusionment this year a group of us food producers have come together to launch this campaign. We have 31 members right now (25 last Thursday) and we are confident this number will increase dramatically soon. Check out www.loveirishfood.com for more information.

One more will make all the difference. Sully :)