Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon has announced a €26.2 million investment in Teagasc's VistaMilk Phase II Research Centre in Fermoy in Cork that will create 130 jobs.
The announcement was made today at the launch of Phase 2 of the VistaMilk Research Ireland Centre in Fermoy.
The investment will go towards the centre's work in enhancing sustainability and innovation in Ireland's agri-food sector through pioneering research and technology.
Launching the second six-year phase of the Centre, Minister Heydon said: "Ireland’s agri-food sector, and, in particular, our world-renowned dairy industry, plays a vital role not just in rural communities, but also the national economy. It is critical that we continue to invest, though initiatives like VistaMilk, to ensure that we remain global leaders. This multi-disciplinary research centre, with important industry partners, will continue to deliver real-world impact through science and collaboration."
The Teagasc centre's research spans soil health, pasture management, animal wellbeing, and food innovation.
The aim of VistaMilk is to integrate emerging technologies - such as artificial intelligence, sensor systems, and mathematical modelling - into real-world agricultural applications.
Commenting on the Government funding for the centre, Minister of State Noel Grealish said "VistaMilk is uniquely co-funded by two Government Departments - Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.
"This joint investment underlines the national importance of the Centre’s work, both for scientific excellence and for the future of sustainable farming in Ireland. I am pleased that the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is investing over €8.66 million in Phase II of the Centre, our largest ever single investment in a research centre."
As part of VistaMilk Phase II, the Teagasc Centre will recruit more than 130 staff, most of whom will be based at Teagasc Moorepark in Fermoy.
Director of Teagasc, Professor Frank O’Mara said: "Research is the backbone of progress in agriculture. At Teagasc, we are proud to support VistaMilk and its interdisciplinary approach to addressing the challenges and opportunities facing our dairy sector today. The outcomes from this centre are already influencing best practices on farms and informing national policy."
